Learning the Verity
by Nherizu
Summary: Does Wolfram really love Yuuri like he always says? Yuuri falls into confusion as he learns the truth about Wolfram, and also, about someone behind the disaster that endangers his kingdom and his own life.
1. The Cute Eavesdropper's Revelation

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plot.

**Rate: **T (it may or may not go up in the future, it depends on the development later)

**Pairing: **Both of Yuuram **&** Wolfyuu (I'm a wolfyuuram fan, because I like a mutual relationship. It's far more realistic.) ;3

**Genre:** A mix of Romance/Adventure/Drama/Humour/Suspense/Angst/Mystery

**Beta Reader: **Becca2793

**Comment:**

Hello there, welcome to Learning the Verity! From the summary I bet you've known that the issue in this story (about Wolfram's love) is something unusual in KKM fandom, but that's what I got from watching the anime five times. So I hope you enjoy this story as much as I enjoy writing it :)

Thanks!

**Important Note:**

This story takes place after season 3 of the anime, and I think of it as the fourth season in my head, lol. I highly suggest you to watch all of the episodes first, although my friends still understand this story without watching all of the episodes first.

**Glossaries****:**

Shin Makoku: New Makoku

Shou Shimaron: Small Shimaron

Dai Shimaron: Big Shimaron

Maryoku: the Demon Tribe's magic, controlled by using Majutsu (the Demon's power).

Houryoku: the God Race/Shinzoku's magic (a race from a country named Seisakoku). Humans also can use houryoku by holding red stones (houseki).

I use the Japanese way to call the countries because the anime's subtitles used them. Thus, I think you can feel more familiar with those Japanese names. And about the magic things, I use those names just simply to differentiate between the Demon's magic and the Human's magic. =3

* * *

**LEARNING THE VERITY**

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

**Truth #1:**

**The Cute Eavesdropper's Revelation**

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

* * *

Today was not an ordinary day in Shin Makoku. Everybody in the Blood Pledge Castle seemed to be busy, running around the place from very early that morning. Smiles spread across almost everyone's faces in the palace, their eyes beaming with felicity as if they wanted to shout their joy to the world. But, when it came to the words 'almost everyone', it meant that some people didn't share the same smile as the others. And in this story, those people were the oblivious twenty-seventh Maou of Shin Makoku and his stubborn fiancé.

"What's everyone doing?" was the question that came from our famous double black's lips. His eyes scanned throughout the whole yard, where soldiers and maids carried large baskets filled with something he wasn't sure of.

"They're busy preparing for the party tomorrow, Your Majesty," Conrart explained as he walked beside Yuuri, one hand pointed to Darcascos who was panting because of bearing a huge box on his back. Though Conrart's smile was plastered perfectly on his lips, he did not even seem to care enough to help the poor bald-headed man who groaned from back pain.

"I see... What party? And it's Yuuri, Conrad!" Not taking his eyes off of the view in front of him, he muttered to his Godfather. Although he'd met Conrart for quite long time already, he still couldn't say the name correctly.

"It's a birthday party for my sweet little brother, Yuuri," Conrart replied with a light chuckle, taking a glance at the blonde behind Yuuri.

"Heh? Wolfram's birthday party?" Yuuri briefly trailed his eyes to the grumpy, angelic boy, who was pouting the entire time since Yuuri arrived at Shinou's Temple's pond. The youngest son of Lady Cecilie even didn't say a thing when he accompanied Yuuri to change his wet clothes in their bedroom earlier. That was strange.

"Why are you sulking like that, Wolfram? Shouldn't you be happy?"

Green eyes shot right through Yuuri's dark ones, two hands balled up tightly, as if Wolffram was ready to screw Yuuri up at anytime for saying those sentences.

"I'm not a child anymore! There's nothing special with my birthday!"

"But?" Cringing, Yuuri defended himself with both palms lifted before his face. "So you don't want the party?"

"He's been like that since my mother and Gwendal arranged the plan last week," Conrart's soft chuckle metamorphosed into laughter. His dear baby brother shot him the most terrifying glare, but he skimmed it lightly as usual, covering his lips with his palm to prevent the laughter from bursting out too harshly.

"But why, Wolfram?" Yuuri insisted, walking forward towards Wolfram and cutting their distance. Wolfram was taken a back slightly, surprised for the sudden encounter from the Maou.

"Like I said before, I'm not a child anymore! Humph! They always hold a party every year and it's never succeeded in making me happy at all!" Crossing his arms over his chest, Wolfram threw his nose up, acting almighty like he usually did.

Yuuri blinked as the puzzle slid within his average brain. He certainly didn't understand why there was someone who hated celebrating his own birthday. Conrart's never ending laugh seemed to gain his attention, resulting him to send a questioning glance to Conrart.

"But this year will be different, Wolfram," Conrart inhaled deeply to collect himself, afraid that in a second balls of fire will be thrown to him. "Because now you have His Majesty."

Yuuri flinched. "Hmm... What do you mean?"

He still wasn't used to any term related to his engagement with Wolfram. Actually, he never got used to anything connected to gay or homo relationships, and he never would as long as it was still considered as taboo on earth. That was what he always told himself, despite the fact that sometimes he got amazed by his fiancé's beauty. Well, who didn't? Wolfram had an outstandingly pretty face that could bring numerous of dying humans to back alive again.

"Well, it's true I guess." Pink colors tainted Wolfram's pale cheeks, but he didn't forfeit his attitude from earlier, sticking up his nose high in the air.

"So, what does it mean? Wolfram? Conrad?" Feeling uncomfortable, Yuuri raised his voice to dig further information from the siblings before him. He didn't like it when he became the only one who was being left clueless in a matter.

"Your Majesty, every year almost all of the single nobles - men and women - come to Wolfram's birthday party. They aimed to win Wolfram's heart and claim him as their life partner. Wolfram always ended up running around and throwing tantrums to outcast them," Conrart expounded, face filled with something that could be called a stupid pride of having a beautiful younger brother.

"And he wanted to say that now I have you as my fiancé, my situation will be different. Your duty is to protect me from their hands!" Wolfram added, his eyes sparking with an aura which Yuuri caught as a threat. He must agree to protect him, or at least he ought to nod at the blonde's statement, otherwise he'd be fried.

"So... That's the disadvantage for having such a pretty face..." Yuuri laughed awkwardly, rubbing his back of neck. "Well, I will protect you."

Wolfram blinked. "Wait, you agree?"

Yuuri's smile faded into a pout, eyebrows furrowed. "Why? You want me to decline?"

Wolfram stayed in still, staring at Yuuri's eyes for awhile, before shaking his head slightly. "No, I was just kidding. I can protect myself, you shouldn't interfere. It wouldn't be good for you."

"Wouldn't be good?" Yuuri tilted his head to the side, tried to figure out what Wolfram meant.

"Now that you mentioned it, I agree that it wouldn't be good for His Majesty," Conrart made a serious face, hand rubbing his chin, signalling that he was being pulled into deep thought.

"What? What do you mean?" Yuuri shook Wolfram's shoulder as his curiosity started to eat him up. Once again, he hated being left clueless in this kind of situation.

"Yuuri, you have no idea how persistent my admirers are," Wolfram shoved Yuuri's hands off, only to get a protesting look from said boy.

"But I want to help you!"

"No you don't, wimp!"

"Well, I do! And don't call me wimp!"

"_Your_ _Majesty_~!"

A smooth, but depressing voice called him dramatically as a figure of a tall, handsome, purple-haired man ran towards him in a ridiculous speed. His hands were stretched out in front of him, ready to crush Yuuri in a moment with the deadly love hug.

"Gün...ter...can't... breathe..." Yuuri struggled to talk between the broad chest of a _man_ and the muscled arms which wrapped him tightly.

_Stop hugging me! Eeek! Don't... Don't rub your cheek to my cheek!_

"Oooh, Your Majesty...! I apologize for not welcoming you in the Great One's Temple! Ooh... I wish my beautiful Demon King will forgive me!" Günter whined, still with his infamous exaggerating praise, burying Yuuri under his arms.

"It's... not... a... big... problem... Argh...Conrad,... Wolfram, help!" Yuuri's air stock started to escape from his lungs, hands groping in the air to get help.

"You're killing His Majesty, Günter," Conrart reminded the royal tutor, causing Günter to yelp again, still with his dramatic effect.

"Ooh! I deeply apologize, Your Majesty! I'm really ashamed, but how can I live without expressing my love for you, Your Majesty?"

"...You don't have to," Yuuri commented lazily, but he was ignored by the twirling, dancing, and twisting figure before him. Günter might call his moves the dance of love or something like that.

"Aah, by the way, are you busy preparing for the party too?" Tired of waiting for Günter's never ending dance, Yuuri changed the topic quickly. Günter halted his moves and turned serious, which Yuuri preferred a lot more than his other frequented emotions.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Since the ten nobles and their relatives will also come, I should organize the party very carefully. Apparently, Lord Waltorana von Bielefeld's really ecstatic for his nephew's birthday."

"Humph, I'm eighty-three already, I don't need a party anymore!" Wolfram threw his face to the side, declaring his age and the fact that he was already considered as an adult, though for Yuuri eighty-three was not only an adult age. In fact, considering it as an elderly age would be better.

"Eighty-three, huh... " Yuuri mused. Something hit his head out of the blue, causing him to feel weird emotions within his heart. Wolfram was going to be eighty-three tomorrow, and compared to his sixteen years of life, eighty-three was much, _much _longer. And to think that this eighty-three elder was being engaged to a sixteen years old high school boy was _way_ too much.

Wolfram was getting older just like him, Yuuri was aware of that now. He knew that he shouldn't hang onto Wolfram's feelings any longer, or said boy would not be able to find his true life partner. A girl probably, or perhaps a boy other than him, that was up to the blonde. And Yuuri himself needed a girl rather than a strong guy like Wolfram to be his love interest.

Moreover, Yuuri now completely understood that he must not wait until Wolfram celebrated his nine hundred and ninety-ninth birthday. Ah, by that time Yuuri himself would be dead already. If he still grew normally like humans, that is. So he realized that the current important thing he had to achieve was this: solving his strange bond with Wolfram soon.

...But how?

He couldn't just break his engagement, could he? And the sounds of annulling the engagement was... A little bit unacceptable for him.

"Wolfram, it means that you're loved by everyone," Conrart stated in a pleasant tone, smiling brightly like a saint. His statement was greeted by Wolfram's flushing face, but as usual, he masked it with his bratty attitude.

"I don't care!"

"Eighty-three, huh..." Once again, Yuuri's mumble slipped out from his lips. His eyes found the floor as an interesting object to see. His mind clouded, as his fingers curled up one by one along his counting of his age gap with Wolfram's. Said boy eyed him and noticed that Yuuri's face fell into a frown.

"What, Yuuri? Are you practicing for... Ergh... Mathimakus?"

Yuuri snapped his face to the blond as his psyche jerked back to Shin Makoku. Smiling sheepishly, he scratched his head.

"It's nothing, Wolfram... And it's mathematics."

Slightly confused with the unfamiliar word, Wolfram nodded, muttering something like _'weird name' _under his breath. Squealing, Günter clasped his hands and told Yuuri about how wonderful the sounds of mathematics were, and how magnificent the Maou's way of counting with his fingers was. It was definitely a must to write down the adorable counting with fingers thing to Shin Makoku's history. It will be one of the attainments in Yuuri's reign.

Sensing his fatigue increase by Günter's speech, Yuuri faked a laugh and promptly headed to search for Greta. Unfortunately, he was stopped by the smiling Conrart, who was bringing up that there were a lot of to do as a king. Groaning, Yuuri sighed in defeat as they now walked straight towards Gwendal's office to process the Maou's duty: Signing Papers. He'd have his fingers cramp again from writing his infamous too long signature, Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Fuuri...

* * *

Inside the Great One Temple, in the Oracle's room, two figures could be seen. The first one was a blond with extravagant clothes, which looked out of place with the current era. The other one was standing before him, adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. His black hair was a perfect match to his dark eyes, and his clothes were normal, far more normal than the other man's outfit.

"Everyone seems busy. My favorite boy's birthday is tomorrow," Shinou remarked, totally amused to see how the residents of the Blood Pledge Castle were busy.

"Looks like the birthday boy isn't as excited as the others," Murata replied with a chuckle.

Shinou clapped his hands. "Well, well, now my Great Sage can read people's minds."

"Spending so much time with them makes me understand the three brothers' personalities very well. But not as well as knowing your personality, _Shinou_. I'm getting tired to baby sit you."

"You're really the only one who can say such things to me," Shinou shook his head, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

"That's why I know that you're keeping a secret now," Murata simply said, his eyes pierced right towards Shinou's.

"Oh..." Shinou's eyes widened. "My Great Sage is surely great."

"If you have time to praise me, why don't you tell me what's going on in your mind."

Shinou shook his head again, eyes closed and lips curved upwards. "I'm only worried with my successor and his fiancé's relationships."

Murata walked nearer to the original king.

"You can't fool me. Ulrike said that she sensed something blocking your powers lately."

"Aah, the maiden. So she told you already," Shinou acted as if he didn't remember about Ulrike at all before.

"You could hide nothing from me," Murata grinned mischievously. "Then, what's this thing blocking your powers?"

"Well..." Shinou paused. His red cape swaying along his walk as he moved to lean his body at the temple's wall. "...I don't know," he continued, his eyes suddenly darkening and causing Murata to stiffen his jaw. "There's something bad that's going to happen, I can feel it. But I can't see through the thick mist."

"Mist?" Murata raised his brows.

"The block. It's a thick mist."

"Have you experienced it before?"

Shinou's eyes wandered the floor, golden locks framing his face. Folding his fingers into a fist, his stern lips finally released his voice as Murata eyed at him in alert.

"No... Not in the last four thousand years."

* * *

"What's Anissina inventing now?" Greta talked to herself as her little feet took her to Anissina's laboratory. The three maids were too busy to play with her, and Wolfram was tagging along with Yuuri in Gwendal's office. Greta wanted to see her half-human father, but she knew that she had to wait until Yuuri's job finished. To kill her time, she decided to check on Anissina's new invention.

Arriving at the door, as she was about to knock, she heard Gwendal's low voice inside the room.

"I wonder if Gwendal's helping Anissina again?" Greta giggled, the image of Gwendal was captured by Anissina playing in her mind. Feeling a bit curious, Greta opened the door slowly and peeked inside.

There, Gwendal was standing in front of a long table with many weird things which were pumping and smoking. Obviously Anissina's inventions, which functions were unknown, and Gwendal would never want to know. But he was always forced to know anyway. His forehead was full of wrinkles, and his lips' corners were pulled downward, showing his foul mood. Across the table, Anissina stood with wicked grin on her lips, hands on her hips, and her pony tail swinging because of the wind from the opened window.

"I really have no time to do this! I have to give the king his paperwork!" Gwendal barked, acting strong to scare Anissina. But Gwendal should have known better, he would always lose to her.

"Günter will do it for you," Anissina smirked confidently, pointing to a queer machine on the table. "I'd like you to test this love detector."

Gwendal's left eye twitched.

"Why should I... Urgh. Didn't it work well when you tested it to Günter last time? I believe it's the same machine with the thing you used when we found the bearbees," he tried to be calm, his heart hoping so that he didn't have to be Anissina's guinea pig again. None of Anissina's inventions were safe to be tested, that was what he already learned since the first time he met the red-haired devil.

"I've modified its efficacy. Because that time when we searched for His Majesty and Wolfram, at the time the bearbees came to the castle, it couldn't detect Wolfram's love."

"Hn? What do you mean?" Gwendal finally surrendered to his wonder, asking what Anissina meant.

"Remember when I showed you those knitted dolls? This machine could detect your love to them, and Günter's love to His Majesty was also detected. Plus, it detected Conrart's love to His Majesty. But only one person's love couldn't be detected. It was Wolfram's," Anissina elucidated, her hand flicking her hair.

"Impossible. Among all of us, Wolfram has the biggest love to that kid," Gwendal countered, but then corrected his line. "No, perhaps his love's the same amount as Günter's."

Anissina nodded repeatedly. "That's why I think it was either the fact that this machine was defected or Wolfram didn't love His Majesty."

Gwendal wrinkled his forehead more, brows tweaked, but he said nothing.

Indeed, that time when Yuuri and Wolfram found the bearbee's cocoons, he had seen this love detector's work. In order to search for Wolfram and Yuuri, Anissina even made Günter to pour his love to pull Yuuri with the love magnetic feature. And when finally Yuuri was found together with Wolfram, the machine formed a little heart shape for Conrart's love to Yuuri. But strangely, Wolfram's love wasn't detected at all...

"What do you think, Gwendal?" Anissina crossed her arms over her bosoms, giving Gwendal a challenging look. She wanted to know his opinion about Wolfram's love towards their King. But still, although she wished that Wolfram did love Yuuri, she still wanted to hear that her invention wasn't a failure.

Gwendal stayed in silence for quite a moment, before finally spoke up carefully, still in deep thinking. "Wolfram... If his love wasn't detected, then perhaps he..."

A pause.

"Perhaps he?" Anissina parroted, raising her brows.

"...Never mind. We can't conclude anything just yet," Gwendal shook his head, back to his usual grumpy self, inviting a groan from Anissina.

"Oh, Gwendal... Well, if you say so, let's just start our test, shall we?" understanding that she wouldn't be able to push Gwendal commenting about the topic any further, she then focused her attention towards forcing Gwendal to become her guinea pig. As predicted, Gwendal's scream could be heard soon.

Outside the room, the wide eyed Greta was standing in shock. Her hands were trembling and her legs felt weak. She couldn't believe what she just heard from the two nobles in the laboratory. She really couldn't comprehend the fact that actually...

Wolfram didn't love Yuuri.

Feeling devastated, she quickly ran outside the castle, her mind deeply occupied by the news that the two fathers of hers weren't in love with each other. It might make her lose her family again, just like before, if Yuuri and Wolfram decided to break the engagement. And probably, Yuuri wouldn't care about her anymore.

Stumbling upon a stone in the garden, Greta fell down right in front of the flowers which Lady Cecilie had planted. Her hands were now dirty and her clothes were slightly torn. Sliding her gaze towards the flowers she recalled as Beautiful Wolfram, her tears began to escape, her tiny shoulders shaking violently. Her weeping was heard, causing Yuuri, who was passing the garden, to notice her.

"Greta, what's wrong?"

Yuuri's face forming a concern look, walking slowly to reach his adopted daughter. He had managed to escape from the mountains of paperwork to play with Greta. He even got Wolfram's permission to go with an excuse that he missed Greta. He knew that inside of the heart of the stubborn demon, there were kindness and understanding. His problem was only Günter, since Conrart also loved to spoil him. But when he finally could escape from the tutor and find Greta, she was lying on the ground, crying.

Tardily lifting her face to his father, Greta wiped her tears with her sleeves. "Yuuri..."

"What happened? Did you fall? Are you alright?" Yuuri crouched besides her, grabbing her arms to help her stand. He checked his daughter to see if there were any wounds. Greta was a girl, surely he wouldn't want his precious daughter to have a scar on her body.

"Yuuri... You don't love Wolfram, do you..?"

Yuuri froze.

Did he hear that right? That his daughter had just asked about his feelings towards Wolfram?

Greta's eyes glistened with water, her lips pouted and her breathing was unsteady. She stared at Yuuri's blushing face with her hands clinging to Yuuri's black uniform.

"Gre... Greta, why are you asking like that?" Yuuri stammered.

Sighing, Greta lowered her head in despair. "As expected... You don't love him."

Falling into a panic attack, Yuuri frantically waved his hands in front of his face. "No, Greta, you're too young to talk about, uh... About love!"

"But I need to know...! If you don't love Wolfram and Wolfram doesn't love you, then I won't have two fathers anymore..." Greta's tears wet her chubby cheeks again.

Yuuri's eyes widened at the term. "What did you say, Greta?"

_Wolfram doesn't love me?_

Clutching tightly to Yuuri's clothing, Greta faced Yuuri and howled with a shaking voice. "I heard it! I heard from Gwendal and Anissina that Wolfram actually doesn't love you!"

Yuuri's heart twitched.

"Err... Greta, didn't you mishear it?"

"No, Yuuri! I know it's bad to eavesdrop, but I clearly heard that Anissina said her love detector couldn't detect Wolfram's love to you!" Greta shook her head violently.

_Love detector? The thing Anissina used when the bearbees came?_

"But... Greta, Wolfram declares his love to me all the time..." Yuuri felt his voice tremble in his throat. He didn't know why, but the tone he produced sounded like he wanted to make sure that Greta was wrong. Or possibly, he wanted to believe that the revelation was wrong.

"That's it... That's why it's weird... But the love detector could detect Gwendal's, Gunter's, and even Conrart's love. Only Wolfram's..." Greta's eyes slumped to the ground again, not having enough courage to continue her words. Instead, she only continued her weeping almost inaudibly.

"So... Anissina said that it's because of Wolfram doesn't love me?"

Greta stared at Yuuri again, slightly shaking her head. Her hair tousled by the wind, causing the locks to cover her eyes, but Yuuri gently swept them away.

"...She said perhaps he didn't love you at that time, or the machine was a failure."

Yuuri gazed at his daughter's face even though his mind was sailing somewhere else. Anissina used past tense; meaning that Anissina still thought that Wolfram might love him by now. Or so she hoped. But whichever the truth was, if Wolfram really didn't love him, Yuuri could only think that he had been lied to.

And that made his heart hurt.

"Yuuri...?" Greta called, her head tilted to the side.

Forced back to reality, Yuuri promptly smiled to her. "Greta, you know that Anissina's inventions always cause problems, right? So you shouldn't take what you heard seriously. And eavesdropping is bad, Greta."

Greta's little eyes widened. "So that means Wolfram loves you?"

"Uhm... Yeah. I think so."

_Or not._

"Thank goodness! I knew that nobody loves you as much as Wolfram in this world! Ah, but I'm not losing to Wolfram!" Greta shouted happily, her tears stopped, and she hugged Yuuri tightly. Her petite body pushed against Yuuri's chest as Yuuri also wrapped her with his arms.

"Ah... Hahaha," Yuuri forced a laugh. He winced at the little girl's words. Again, he still wasn't used to anything related to gay relationships, and he didn't know whether he should be happy or not with the words. He honestly didn't understand if he would be delighted or sad, if Wolfram really didn't love him. After all, he considered Wolfram as his important person, although he didn't have any romantic desire to him. Thus, he really couldn't register what he should feel or do currently. Not when his mind suddenly became distorted.

"Now, Greta, why don't we go to the kitchen to eat cookies?" Yuuri strived to drive out his brooding.

"No, I'm full. I want to see Wolfram now. Let's go, Yuuri?" Greta cocked her head up, pulling Yuuri's hand so that he would bend over a little.

"Err... Wolfram? But he just started to train his troops..." Yuuri resisted, he didn't want to be dragged to find Wolfram. "Let's just change your clothes, okay? Then I'll read a book for you."

"Emm... Okay," Greta nodded, although her lips transformed into a pout. But then her smile soon came back as she remembered the book she wanted Yuuri to read for her. "Anissina wrote a new story! Let's read it, Yuuri!"

"Haha, alright..! It's a deal then," Yuuri laughed as he felt a relieving sensation washed over him. Subsequently, he tugged Greta's hand and led her to their bedroom. They walked together slowly, chatted along the way, but Yuuri's mind didn't actually focus on what they talked about. Instead, the image of a certain green-eyed blonde monopolized his psyche.

Before Yuuri left Gwendal's office, Wolfram said that he didn't care about the party. Hence, the entirety of his personal troops must not be involved in the preparation. He insisted that he would train them, and Yuuri didn't want to interrupt him while Wolfram was in a bad mood. That was the reason behind his uneasy feelings when Greta asked him to meet Wolfram.

But deep within, he wondered if he refused to see Wolfram because he really didn't want to hear Wolfram's tantrums, or because of the news he'd just heard from Greta. He was just bewildered at the moment. But still, among all of the things he didn't understand, only one thing he was sure of. That was if Wolfram did lie about his feelings, he knew that his heart will be wrecked badly. And he wasn't interested in imagining that at all.

Suddenly, a scream startled him and pulled him back from his train of thoughts. Halted from his walk, he snapped his head to the direction of the voice and gulped. Cold sweats started to form on his forehead, as the realization gradually hit his head.

That was coming from the yard.

And it was... Wolfram's.

* * *

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**(To Be Continued)**

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* * *

**A/N:** Yatta! The first chapter is done.

Now I just want to tell you that anonymous reviewers are also accepted, you have no need to create an account to leave reviews :)

And of course reviews from registered users are much awaited as well~! :D


	2. The Reason To Protect Someone

**Disclaimer:** I only own this plot.

**Beta Reader: **Becca2793

**Glossaries****:**

Shin Makoku: New Makoku

Shou Shimaron: Small Shimaron

Dai Shimaron: Big Shimaron

Maryoku: the Demon Tribe's magic, controlled by using Majutsu (the Demon's power).

Houryoku: the God Race/Shinzoku's magic (a race from a country named Seisakoku). Humans also can use houryoku by holding red stones (houseki).

I use the Japanese way to call the countries because the anime's subtitles used them. Thus, I think you can feel more familiar with those Japanese names. And about the magic things, I use those names just simply to differentiate between the Demon's magic and the Human's magic. =3

* * *

**LEARNING THE VERITY**

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

**Truth ****#2****:**

**The Reason To Protect Someone**

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

* * *

Yuuri dashed to where he thought the scream came from. His hand left Greta's subconsciously, as the panic attacked him to the highest level. His heart hammered in his ribs endlessly, his jaw tightened and his fingers curled into fists. His body reacted faster than his mind, as the only thing he could register into his brain was: he needed to see Wolfram. Now.

Once he reached the front yard, he froze. The view before him was complete chaos. Maids were running around the place, trying to save themselves from many angry horses. Conrart stood protectively with his face expressing alert, facing Wolfram's horse which was now lying on the ground in pain. Soldiers in blue uniforms scattered around the yard, trying to hold their own horses which were revolting and kicking the air. Something was terribly wrong. But what made Yuuri to freeze was none other than Wolfram's limp body.

"Wolfram!"

Yuuri raced towards the lying blonde on the ground, his heart felt like it had stopped from seeing Wolfram unmoving.

What had happened to him? What happened to his horse? He could feel his head filled with questions as he grabbed the blonde's shoulders.

"Wolfram! What happened to you?" His voice sounded more like a whimper, hoping to hear Wolfram's answer. His eyes noticed Wolfram's usual neat uniform's sleeve was torn.

"Ugh.., Yuuri?" Wolfram opened his eyes slowly, hissing from the harsh pain he felt roaming his arm.

"Wolfram's horse kicked him out of the blue," Conrart approached Yuuri in a rush, no smile could be seen on his lips. "I've knocked his horse down, but there are still other angry horses. Your Majesty, please go inside."

"But what exactly happened here?" Yuuri howled, facing Conrart with his stubborn eyes.

"There's no time to explain, Your Majesty. Please-"

"Wolfram!"

Greta ran to his blonde father, eyes sparked with worries. Conrart and Yuuri shot their faces towards the little girl behind them, and the scene before their eyes made them scream in horror. A horse galloped right to Greta, causing her feet to halt in midway of her journey to Wolfram.

"Greta!" Conrart briefly dashed and hugged Greta, pushing her to the side, while Günter who finally arrived to the yard, quickly handled the mad horse. Smacked with Günter's back of sword, the brown horse ended up falling to the ground with a loud thud. It laid on its side, eyes half shut, but still insanely shrieking. Something must have gotten inside its mind.

But the mess still continued. Another horse which had escaped from the stable, sprinted in a crazy speed towards Yuuri. Feeling his eye balls could leap out from their sockets, Yuuri gaped and urged to shout, but his mouth only could open and close like a fish.

Conrart jerked himself to stand and tried to save Yuuri, but his position didn't allow him to reach the Maou in time. Gwendal ran down the stairs and froze as to the view before him. He hurriedly casted his spell to make a barrier, but in this situation, the mad horse would have reached Yuuri before he could finish his spell. Günter's face struck with dread, as his arms stretched out to grab Yuuri, but he was also too far from the boy.

_I'm gonna die!_

Realizing nobody would be able to save him, Yuuri shut his eyelids tightly, preparing to the upcoming pain he would receive. As expected, his stomach felt like punched, as his body flew inches away and landed harshly on the ground. The impact was shocking him, no matter how prepared he was, it still made him shriek in fear. He even could feel something heavy on his chest, and also a bulge under his head. It was so strange. So weird that he felt like he landed on an uncomfortable pillow rather than the ground.

Wait.

Something heavy on his chest? And a pillow under his head?

Yuuri quickly opened his eyes in attempt to enlighten himself. The first thing he saw was the horse which was now lying on the ground besides him, and Günter facing it with his sword unsheathed. The next thing he saw were Conrart's and Gwendal's running figures, with their faces filled with terror. And then came Greta to his sight, jogging and yelling Wolfram's and his names. But all of those things didn't explain the sensation he sensed on his entire body. Finally, he raised up his head and slid his gaze to what had pressed against him.

Eyes wide opened, he gasped.

On his chest, Wolfram's head lay weakly, his body stretched out over him. Wolfram's right hand placed under Yuuri's head, preventing him from suffering a terrible headache from the bump, while Wolfram's left hand hugged his waist. And from what Yuuri's eyes could see, Wolfram's back was awfully wounded.

"Wolfram!" Yuuri cried in fright, he could feel his blood rushed up to his head, and his lips trembled. Wolfram had saved him. He saved him, although he was badly injured from the start. And now he... was bleeding.

The dread had eaten Yuuri, panic overwhelming him, and his heart sunk, as the thought that Wolfram endangered his own life to save him swam through his mind. His senses gradually distorted, bringing him to unconsciously stand and shoot his bluish dark powers to the sky, causing the entire castle's residents to clam up and ignore the horses.

"Causing troubles and injuring other people are unforgivable." Narrowing his eyes, he voiced out his low Japanese ancient accent. Steadily, he walked to the center of the yard, followed by everyone's eyes.

"Listen! I'm your King, the one to whom you vow your loyalty! I will protect you as well as you must trust me! I order you to calm yourselves down at once!" Another shot of dark energy slashed the sky, as thick bluish mist overwhelming the entire castle.

"_Justice be done_!"

Surrounded by the great powers Yuuri had showered over them, the horses instantly stopped their rebelling actions. The soldiers huffed in relieved, and the maids relaxed their rigid states. Conrart, Gwendal, Greta and Günter stared at the young king in silence, while Anissina observed everything from her window. She was a bit surprised to see the Maou's reaction.

Yuuri wasn't like this when Wolfram's heart was taken by Shinou. He didn't turn into Maou, that is. But that was quite a long time ago, before Yuuri turned sixteen, and before he was involved in the deal with Shou Shimaron's Saralegui.

Anissina noticed, lately Yuuri didn't outcast Wolfram, or deny their engagement as often as before. She knew it, as well as she noted that Wolfram didn't declare his jealousy to the whole nation anymore. Something was going on between them, although the two fiancés still didn't realize it.

Beneath her window, Yuuri crouched at Wolfram's side, healing all the wounds. The unconscious Wolfram laid helplessly, while Yuuri focused on his fiancé's arm and back injuries. Gisela bolted towards them and promptly ordered Dacascos to take Wolfram into Yuuri's room. Everyone knew that Wolfram slept in Yuuri's room, and even the king didn't repel the idea.

Finally back to his normal state again, Yuuri led Greta and quickly followed Gisela and Dacascos, while the other nobles changing looks and heading to Gwendal's office.

* * *

"Something must have happened," Gwendal announced to the other party members in his office. His eyes darkened with worries, and his wrinkles seemed to be deeper. He was worried sick for his baby brother, but he knew that there was an important matter to discuss. Besides, Yuuri had healed most of Wolfram's wounds.

"Indeed. I think I recall something almost similar to this case," Conrart nodded, eyes stared firmly at his older brother. The horses went mad, just like they were afraid of something; it was just like when the kotsuhizoku race became insane before Soushu was defeated.

"The kotsuhizoku case. Does it mean that something as fearful as Soushu is coming?" Holding his chin, Günter questioned himself. Was it possible that Soushu was alive again? But Yuuri had defeated the fearful creature at that time. Even Shinou and Murata were sure that Soushu had vanished.

"We can't say anything yet..." Gwendal answered, his eyes found the door cracked open to reveal a muscled, orange-haired man coming in.

"I got a message from the Great Sage," Josak raised his hand, smirking as he usually did. "His Eminence saw the kiddo's powers from the Great One's Temple."

"What did His Eminence say?" Gwendal asked shortly, not wanting to waste anymore time. He had to know what was going on now, and he must – after this meeting – sprint to see Wolfram.

"Patrol all over the country more often, not only the border line, that is. Carefully observe our allies. Add the guards in this palace. Don't forget to send a spy to Dai Shimaron. And always prepare for the worst," Josak shrugged before adding, "Sounds like there'll be bigger troubles."

"Conrart," Gwendal called sternly, gesturing for an order while turning his face to see his brother.

"I'll place my squads in every village and town. Some of my underlings are also capable of observing our allies secretly. And as for Dai Shimaron, I believe Josak can do it." Nodding, Conrart stole a glance to Josak, who answered him with a nod.

"This is bad... Tomorrow is Wolfram's birthday party!" Günter exclaimed, his eyes full of worries. "We can't cancel it! It will affect our kingdom's reputation! We have sent the invitation to all of Shin Makoku's allies, and the ten nobles, I can't imagine what they're going to say about this..."

Gwendal's eyebrows quirked, he started to knit something in the air. He could feel nausea attack him, thinking about the injured Wolfram needing to attend his birthday party and the danger His Eminence tried to tell them... And add the ten nobles to the mix. There would be so many, many problems for him to solve.

"Did His Eminence say what kind of troubles we would face?" he finally sighed and questioned the spy.

Shaking his head, Josak casually answered. "Nope. He still doesn't have any idea what will exactly happen."

"Even the Great One can't predict it?" Gwendal raised one brow.

"He didn't say a thing about that," Josak replied. "Perhaps Great One and His Eminence know something but they're playing secrets?"

"Sounds like them," Conrart commented with a slight smile. After meeting the real Shinou, they all had found out about his childish and selfish acts. The Original King always manipulated them to achieve his goal, with the help of his Great Sage, of course. But they also knew no one could care for Shin Makoku more than Shinou and the Great Sage. They were the founders of this country after all.

"We should not question anything about the Great One," Günter reprimanded Josak, to be replied with a shrug by said guy.

Gwendal exhaled in depression. He could imagine how his mother would count the number of his wrinkles again. His mother would be back from her searching for free love journey very early tomorrow. After suggesting the idea of Wolfram's birthday party, she immediately went to see her lover, Fanbalen, leaving all of the preparations to him.

"I believe Wolfram will be able to handle the party tomorrow," Conrart smiled in assuring, knowing his brother was distressed by the situation.

"That selfish loafer?" Günter yelped disbelievingly. He massaged his temples and shook his head, thinking about how the injured Wolfram would destroy the party because of his bad mood. Not that he hadn't ruined the previous parties, though. His tantrums every year were enough to make everyone called him as a party destroyer. Still, his actions could still be tolerated so far... For now, Günter could only hope that this year Wolfram wouldn't be too harsh to his admirers.

"He's matured a lot lately, Günter," Conrart chuckled, "Inside, he's not as selfish as we think."

"Aah... Perhaps so..." Günter nodded reluctantly. "Oooh, no, no! I mean, I _wish_ so!" he corrected his line, whining dramatically.

Gwendal's mind wandered back to what he had talked to Anissina about. Silently, he approved Conrart's statement. Their youngest brother was more than only a young, selfish, brat kid. He was a man, a noble demon who was willing to give his life to his King. Moreover, the reason that Anissina's invention couldn't detect Wolfram's love was probably...

He closed his eyes and shook his head lightly. No, he should not make any conclusions just from Anissina's invention. It was positively a failed machine, everybody knew that she wasn't called a red haired devil for nothing, and Gwendal was the person who understood about it the most.

"We'll just obey His Eminence's order and see what'll happen next. We have no more information to rely on. Just be careful," Gwendal stated after a long silence.

Nodding in agreement, Conrart's smile faded, Günter stopped his exaggerating whimper, and Josak grinned widely. They started to occupy their minds for the things they had to do.

"I will inform my troops right away," Conrart was the first to leave, followed by Josak who excused himself to begin his spying mission to Shin Makoku's biggest enemy. They both walked hurriedly, getting ready to what might happen next.

"Then, I will try to read some old books to gather information," Günter notified, as he headed directly to the library.

Thus, Gwendal who was being left alone in the office, decided to knit a cute little cat doll to calm his mind before going to see Wolfram.

* * *

In the royal bedchamber, Yuuri patiently waited for Gisela to finish her job. Greta held her blond father's hand, while said father still unconscious. His breathing was now calmer, and Yuuri could hear the low snores from his fiancé's slightly parted lips.

"His Excellency Wolfram's alright, Your Majesty. His arm supposedly suffered a fracture, as he got kicked on his arm. Also from the crash on his back, he would normally suffered internal bruising. But Your Majesty has healed him earlier, so he's alright. What he has now only several bruises and bumps. They will vanish in a couple of day."

Delighted to hear the good news, Yuuri formed a wide smile. His eyes grew cheery again, and his hands – which he unknowingly had clenched into fists all the time – now relaxed.

"Wolfram!" Greta yelled happily, squeezing his father's hand lightly. Wolfram groaned and stirred, opening his eyes tardily before trying to focus his blurry sight.

"Yuuri..." He mumbled weakly as soon as he recognized Yuuri besides him. "...And Greta."

"How do you feel?" Yuuri smiled soothingly, his worries faded and were replaced by the relieving sensation that wrapped itself all over his heart. If Wolfram was alright, it was enough for him.

Abruptly, Wolfram snapped his eyes open widely and sat up, releasing his hand from Greta and grabbing Yuuri's hand tightly.

"Are you alright, Yuuri? Are you injured?"

Yuuri's eyes widened in surprise. His mouth gaped, while his eyes started to flicker nervously. Wolfram looked full of concern, his eyes shot through him, sending a shiver ran down his spine. It was unusual to see Wolfram this worried for him. Or... Maybe he had seen it before, but he never took it seriously.

"I'm okay, Wolfram, You... You saved me..."

"Really? Are you sure? Has Gisela checked you?" Wolfram rained Yuuri with questions, while his both hands now pressing Yuuri's hand tighter. His eyes diverted to Gisela, who smiled knowingly to Wolfram's reaction.

"His Majesty's totally fine, Your Excellency. You're the one who's badly injured."

"That's... That's true, Wolfram..." Yuuri smiled sheepishly. His hand started sweating, no less than his forehead. He quickly pulled back his hand and hid it behind his back, locking it with his other hand. He didn't like holding hands with guys. Well, he did it with Saralegui before, but at that time he didn't feel anxious. Thence, he didn't think of something about gay relationships with Sara.

_Wait. Does it mean that I think about 'that' with Wolfram?_

Yuuri quickly repelled the thought by shaking his head as hard as he could. He must stop thinking about unnecessary things. What was more, he knew that he should break their engagement soon before Wolfram became too old. Besides, if Wolfram didn't love him like Greta said... then... then he...

...Then he what?

"Oh..." Wolfram stared at Yuuri, confused with the Maou's changing of expressions. But he smiled in relief afterwards. "That's good."

Yuuri jerked his mind to Wolfram again, burying his brooding deep inside his heart. His simple brain forced him to get provoked by Wolfram's saying, forgetting what he previously thought.

"It's not good, Wolfram!" Yuuri snapped, his eyebrows twitching.

"It's good, wimp!" Wolfram replied nonchalantly, lying back on the bed. "It's better that I'm the one who's injured. It's my duty to protect you."

Yuuri's brows quirked deeper, his body froze. After a moment, he lifted his hand to touch his chest and inhaled deeply in silence.

"Yuuri?" Realizing Yuuri didn't reply, Wolfram turned to face Yuuri again. "Are you really alright? Does your chest hurt?"

Shaking his head, Yuuri quickly waved his other hand clumsily. "No, no, it's just suddenly hard to breathe," he shook his head to his worried fiancé. He didn't remember that he ever had asthma, but for a moment, he could feel his lungs hurt. ...Or was it his chest? Or his heart?

"What? So you're indeed injured! Gisela!" Wolfram got up again, snapping his head to her. "Check him!"

"No! No! Wolfram, I'm fine! I've told you, I'm fine! It was only for a moment, I don't know why!" Yuuri squeaked.

A light chuckle greeted the two fiancés' ears, inviting them to stare questioningly at Gisela.

"I think I know why," she replied playfully to the oblivious Yuuri. Said boy only blinked in bewilderment. Wolfram, as clueless as his betrothed, only tilted his head to the side.

"Ah! The little princess is wounded too! You should change your clothes, Princess!" Gisela took Greta's hand, switching the topic quickly before the two boys started their questions.

"I fell in the garden," Greta pointed to her torn clothes, "I think you're right. I need to change clothes now."

"That's right. Your Majesty, I'll accompany the princess and check her wound in the infirmary. Please excuse me," Gisela bowed slightly, and led Greta out of the room after the little princess took his new clothes from the closet. Gisela didn't give the royal couple a chance to ask anything as she promptly closed the door, knowing that her King needed some privacy with his fiancé. She giggled inwardly at the thought.

Being left together in the room, Yuuri and Wolfram exchanging looks in silence, obviously confounded. After a moment, Wolfram came to his sense again and glared to Yuuri.

"Yuuri! Our daughter fell and you didn't help her?"

Yuuri startled at the realization. That was true. He forgot about Greta, he even left her behind. What an awful father he was. But... It was Wolfram who made him forget, wasn't it?

"That... That's because you screamed! I was about to help her changing clothes when you screamed!" he made an excuse, pathetically.

"I'm not the only one who screamed, Yuuri. And you must know, no matter how many people screamed, you shouldn't come out. You're the Demon King, you should never throw yourself in danger!"

Yuuri blinked. It was not only Wolfram who screamed?

Indeed, when he arrived, the maids and the soldiers were all screaming, and not to mention the shrieking horses. But his ears only heard Wolfram's and his brain only thought of Wolfram... Why was it again?

Perhaps it was because he heard Wolfram's tantrums everyday? That was why his ears could recognize his voice more than anything. Yes, that was it. But... How should he explain about the invasion the blonde made in his brain?

"Yuuri! Are you listening!"

"Huh? Oh..." He blinked again, distracted from his train of thoughts.

Sighing, Wolfram shook his head desperately. He knew that his King was a wimp, but he never thought that the wimp would be this difficult to talk to. He clutched the beige-colored blanket and shifted his position to comfort his sore body.

"Yuuri, I'll tell you again, you're the Demon King. If anything bad happens to you, our people will be sad. You're needed. You're different from us, you're irreplaceable."

"What?" Feeling blood rushing over his head, Yuuri's eyes shot open in anger. "Wolfram, you're irreplaceable! Conrad too, Gwendal too, everybody too! How could you say something like that? Value your life more!"

"Nothing is more valuable than the King's life. We're destined to protect you," Wolfram replied quite firmly.

"Well, I'm not happy at all! I want to protect everyone! I want to protect you!" Yuuri curled his fingers into fists, his mind exploded with rage. How could Wolfram say those ridiculous lines? Didn't he know how he felt when he heard him screaming?

"Yuuri, you can't! The King's duty is to stay alive!"

Duty. Again.

Couldn't he think about something other than duty?

"Then consider me as your _fiancé_!"

That was an unconscious outburst. Something which came out from his mouth even before he managed to think. Moreover, it was loud enough to be heard by the entire castle. Oh, that was exaggerating. But at least it was loud enough to be heard by the guards near the chamber's door. Furthermore, it made both Wolfram and him, halt in shock.

"I – I – I mean, fiancés are considered as friends, right? And as friends, it's normal to protect each other, right!" Yuuri abruptly waved his hands, babbling in panic, while his face became different shades of red. Inside, he scolded himself.

What had made him saying about the fiancé thing anyway? He knew that he didn't spend his times to deny their engagement again lately, but it didn't mean that he accepted it! Something must have been really wrong... Wrong that he had to cover it with lame excuse... Wrong that he had to feel his face hot like he was in a sauna... Everything was wrong... Really, really wrong!

Wolfram sighed again and trailed his gaze to the blanket. He was surprised to hear the word 'fiancé' escaped from Yuuri's lips, that was true. But he also had expected that the wimp would correct his word straightaway. It was no difficult task to read his King's way of thinking. He had grown used to it, and recently, he'd been thinking that countering the wimp's silly rambling was useless. But, what was with fiancés were considered as friends? Of course two different words had two different meanings! On top of all, they definitely weren't synonyms! Wimp!

"Fine, wimp. Friends," Wolfram muttered lazily. His whole body was aching, he had no intention to add his pain by starting a fight with Yuuri. The wimp should be grateful that Wolfram was in a bad condition now, or else, Shin Makoku will have a fried King, thanks to the wimp's lack of linguistic skills.

"Yeah, yeah, friends! Hahaha!"

Yuuri answered almost too fast, laughing painfully awkward. Strangely, he didn't realize that Wolfram accepted the word 'friends' too easily, nor did he notice that his mind was currently messed up. His brain even didn't note the fact that Wolfram called him as a wimp for the nth times today. What he knew was, he had difficulties to breathe again after hearing Wolfram's answer.

Great, he might really have asthma now. Perhaps a special asthma for Shin Makoku residents only. Ah, whatever it was, he cognized that he must run to Gisela after this.

...Yes, he must.

* * *

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

**(To be Continued)**

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* * *

**A/N:** I remember the time when Wolfram's heart was taken by Shinou. Yuuri stared at Wolfram's body and imagined the blond yelling at him, telling him to save his fiancé. But that was only Yuuri's own imagination. In my opinion, the real Wolfram won't let Yuuri endanger his life only to save him. Like when Yuuri had to have a duel with Elizabeth, Wolfram interfered in the middle, only to not let her injure Yuuri. Wolfram even willed to die for Yuuri's safety. And on top of the others, Wolfram was the one who kept on reminding Yuuri about his duty as a king, and the obligation for the others to protect their king. That's why I made this chapter like this... Teehee...

Constructive criticisms are welcomed, but my heart's too weak for flames. Please no flames... :-)

Thankies!


	3. The Vain Effort Of A King

**Disclaimer:** I only own this plot.

**Beta Reader: **Becca2793

**Comment: **

This chapter will be quite intriguing as the plot in my head is originally really complicated, so please read it closely. Some questions will be answered in the next chapters ;)

**Dictionary:**

Shin Makoku: New Makoku

Shou Shimaron: Small Shimaron

Dai Shimaron: Big Shimaron

Maryoku: The Demon Tribe's magic, controlled by using Majutsu (the Demon's power).

Houryoku: The God Race/Shinzoku's magic (a race from a country named Seisakoku). Humans also can use houryoku by holding red stones (Houseki).

I use the Japanese way to call the countries because the anime's subtitles used them. Thus, I think you can feel more familiar with those Japanese names. And about the magic things, I use those names just simply to differentiate between the Demon's magic and the Human's magic. =3

* * *

**LEARNING THE VERITY**

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**#3 Truth:**

**The ****Vain Effort Of A King**

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* * *

"Haah ….."

Yuuri sighed as he leaned to the balcony, eyes staring up to the sky. Dark circles were marked around his black eyes, while his tanned skin looked pale. Not being able to sleep all night long wasn't like him at all. What was more, he didn't sleep at the time when he supposedly could sleep peacefully. The injured Wolfram slept without kicking and punching, and he was actually very happy. He'd been waiting for a calm night like that for a very long time, but in fact, he didn't even use the granted night for sleep.

Glancing downward, he saw Darcascos chatting with Doria and Lasagna while Sangria swept the yard. The number of guards had been added for some reasons that Yuuri didn't know of. He only thought that it was because today they were going to have a big party, little did he know the real reasons behind it.

"Wolfram's birthday party…."

Yuuri mumbled reluctantly, eyes half shut. His mind had been floating around since yesterday, and he even used the entire night to think about Wolfram. Yuuri knew, he had decided to not doubt anyone again, as his strength was his will to trust people. But in Wolfram's case, it wasn't that easy.

First, if he doubted Wolfram, he would feel really bad. Wolfram had become his loyal best friend, his protector, and everything. Yuuri realized, if Wolfram really didn't love him, it would be easier for him to make a new relationship with the fire wielder. A relationship called best friends, rather than fiancés.

But no matter how good it was for Yuuri, he couldn't be happy at all. He couldn't stand to imagine Wolfram betraying him, or most likely, lying to him. He couldn't and he didn't want it to happen. Thus, he thought that perhaps trusting Wolfram and pretending to hear nothing was better. But again, it wasn't that easy.

If he decided to let everything like now, he would lose his chance to break the engagement. And he would have to deal with the fiancé things until he didn't know when. He didn't have a girlfriend, and although he'd like to have one, he had no one he loved. So it wasn't a big problem for him to stay like this longer. But how about Wolfram? Actually, what was the Demon Tribe's normal marrital age? He should know, at least it would help him to measure how many years more he had before annulling the engagement.

He touched his chest again, feeling his lungs hurt for the ninth times.

_Asthma is Earth's sickness. __Gisela might not know about the symptoms…, _he thought while trying to inhale.

Yuuri recalled the moment when he approached the healer last night. After Wolfram fell asleep, he hurriedly went to the infirmary, requesting Gisela to check on him. But what he got were only a smile and a short advice from the sergeant. Thence, the advice was something which Yuuri thought as a confusing thing.

"_Your Majesty, what you feel towards having trouble breathing has something to do with your heart. It's a mental sickness. You should think more about what has made you suffer._

Sighing again, Yuuri buried his head into his folded arms on the railings. He didn't have a clue what Gisela meant as mental sickness, and what was the reason for this asthma he had in the past two days. Probably it was something like what people on earth called as depression or stress.

But why should he have those typical of businessman's illness? He didn't even work on his paper work properly. He was too young to be depressed, and on top of all, he wasn't Gwendal. So, it must have nothing to do with depression and stress. He was as healthy as always, he was being a baseball athlete not for nothing. Everything was fine for him, fine except for he was currently having one problem…

Closing his eyes, His mind flew back to his betrothed. How Greta's revelation about Wolfram's love annoyed him, and how the injured Wolfram only thought about duties all the time. After the chaos, he thought that Wolfram protected him with his life because the blond loved him, and what Anissina said about the love detector was wrong. But hearing the reason from Wolfram's mouth – about his duty to protect his King – was enough to destroy his thinking. To make it worse, Wolfram even accepted his ridiculous statement about 'friends' easily. The Maou didn't realize it before, but last night everything had come to his mind. And knowing about it had forced him to stay sober all night.

"Wolfram...," he muttered.

"Yes, Yuuri?"

Yuuri snapped his eyes open, feeling his heart was about to burst.

_WOLFRAM!? _

_Or… Not._

"Yo, Shibuya!" the grinning bespectacled Murata raised his hand to greet his King with a naughty look. "Thinking of someone?"

"….Murata…...," Yuuri narrowed his eyes, hissing dangerously. Thank Shinou it wasn't the real Wolfram, but still, he thought he was going to have a heart attack!! Although for a moment, he felt happy to hear the answer... Ah, no, no, why should he feel happy? He should NOT!

"Have nothing better to do, Oh Great Sage?" Yuuri asked sarcastically to the annoying friend of his. It was unusual for Murata to be in the castle this early. It was still six o'clock, and moreover, it was in the balcony of Gwendal (and Yuuri's) office. How could the mischievous Murata Ken know he was in there?

On second thought, if it was the _mischievous _Murata, everything was possible, right?

"I saw you, when I came through the gate. Look, everybody underneath could see you clearly. But you didn't even notice my presence, too deep in your romantic thinking maybe?" Murata teased, chuckling in amusement while glancing at the crimson red face of his King.

"It- It's not like what you think!" Yuuri abruptly turned his back to Murata, hiding his flushing face. "I have a problem, you know!"

"Well, well…," Murata smirked, "You'll get help from The Great Sage if you'd like."

Yuuri frowned. Should he tell Murata? Surely, the wise man will give him the advice he needed. But, Murata was a perverted sage! Could he believe in him?

"Shibuya, don't underestimate me. Something has happened between you and Lord von Bielefeld, hasn't it?" The Daikenja's glasses gleamed.

Yuuri trailed his gaze to his friend, sulking while muttered wearily. "How… do you know?"

He actually didn't have to ask, since he knew that nothing would escape from the Sage's eyes. But he asked anyway, just to make a conversation.

"I don't really know, but you never turned into your demon form for him before, well, let's say... when Shinou took your fiancé's heart?"

Yuuri pouted. "What exactly are you trying to say, Murata? My problem isn't about me turning into demon or not."

Murata sighed. His King was as clueless as ever. Too dense to be true, he didn't even realize what it meant? Even when Murata had given him a clue? _Oh Shibuya, you're really still a child_, he thought tiredly.

"But it's good that you turned into your demon form for Lord von Bielefeld now. I thought you like King Saralegui more because you lost your control when he was injured," Murata shrugged, his mind back to when they went to Shou Shimaron and got caught by Dai Shimaron. Saralegui protected Yuuri from Dai Shimaron's arrow, but the truth was, the attacker was none other than Beryes, Sara's right hand man. At that time, Yuuri became The Maou and released his powers, not knowing that Sara was only pretending to be kind.

"But Lord von Bielefeld's your real fiancé after all," Murata smirked wickedly, not going to drop his tease.

Yuuri groaned. Liking Saralegui? He was just a friend! True, he often blushed when he stared at Saralegui, and he had held his hand more than once, and he even stared at the sky thinking about him, but that just didn't mean anything, right? Because they were both guys, that is. And leave alone Murata's statement about Wolfram was his real fiancé. He was a guy too.

"You know it isn't true, Murata!" he finally growled.

"Hmn....," Murata teased with his naughty look, inviting Yuuri to open his mouth in protest but failed as the Sage calmly added. "Then tell me what your problem is."

Yuuri closed his mouth, staring to the other double black suspiciously. Should he trust him? He knew that his brain couldn't stand this type of problem anymore. Indeed, he needed help. But he also noted that he couldn't just tell anyone about this. He had to find the right person to talk to.

Scratching his unitchy head, he counted in his mind. How many choices he actually had?

First person that came up to his head was Gwendal.

….But no, he would glare daggers to him.

And Conrart?

No. It didn't make sense to discuss about a little brother with a possessive little big brother. It just didn't seem right for Yuuri.

Günter?

He would wail and faint without a doubt.

Lady Celi?

No, scratch that. She would force him to hold a wedding soon as the problem solver.

And who else he had…? Anissina?

Haha... She would make him wearing some weird inventions to solve his problem. Besides, his problem was started because of her invention, so basically it was her fault.

Sighing again, Yuuri knew that the normal options he had would be Murata and Gisela. But the healer had given him a puzzle to solve, and he surely didn't want to add his headache with more puzzles. So it meant he only had Murata left.

"Alright, Murata… It's about Wolfram," Yuuri started with a sigh, feeling uneasy to spill the thing he'd been thinking since yesterday.

"Obviously," Murata smirked once again.

"Stop commenting, just listen will you?" Yuuri glared, inwardly admitted that his face must have been covered by the colour of red by now. He pouted before throwing his gaze to the yard, hiding his bright red face from the Sage's annoying eyes.

"Sorry," Murata chuckled immediately after seeing his King's reaction, "Go on."

"Stop chuckling, okay?" Yuuri squinted threateningly, still pouting.

"Okay, okay, I stop. See?" the Daikenja shrugged, showing that he had stopped his chuckle and replaced it with a wide grin.

"Right...," Yuuri slid his gaze back to the yard, although he still felt sceptical towards the other double black. He had no other choices for now, he desperately needed help to overcome this uneasiness that had showered him since yesterday. And for now he could only put his hope to Murata, his strategist and also his best friend.

Taking a deep breath, Yuri opened his mouth to say the thing that had been bothering him.

"Look, I've been wondering…," he paused, swallowing the lump in his throat.

"…If Wolfram really loves me."

Murata's eye brows furrowed at the term.

Did he hear it right?

"You mean, you doubt his love?"

Yuuri fidgeted. "I know that I've said that I will never doubt anyone again, but I just can't stop myself to think about it. It's strange isn't it?" he laughed sheepishly.

Murata burst out in loud laughter, couldn't stand seeing Yuuri's expression. The Maou looked somewhat distressed, nervous, while his fingers couldn't stop playing with one another. It was funny to see the homophobic Yuuri to be this stressed out about Wolfram.

"Murata! So you want to help me with your laughter?!" Yuuri glared, feeling his face roamed by a hot sensation. It was embarrassing enough to talk about it, and now The Sage added it with his laughter? Very clever.

"Sorry....," still laughing, Murata waved his hand nonchalantly. "But, Shibuya, is Lord von Bielefeld's feelings that important for you?"

Yuuri shouted at Murata angrily. "Of course, I don't want him lying to me!"

"Your real problem is, you should realize why you worry about it. Fine, you don't want him to lie, but is that what you honestly feel? You should be happy because you can annul the engagement," Murata wiped his tears in the corner of his eyes, while trying to set his breathing.

"Murata, I can't be happy if he lies to me," Yuuri narrowed his eyes, pouted.

Huffing, Murata smiled. "Shibuya, Lord von Bielefeld truly cares for you. Isn't that enough?"

"Huh?"

Yuuri fell into silence. That was true. Wasn't knowing that Wolfram cared for him enough?

"Perhaps your real problem is why you don't want to accept the fact that Lord von Bielefeld doesn't love you. You seem to be greedy, Shibuya," Murata commented as if he could read Yuuri's mind. The Maou stared at the Great Sage with surprise, mouth huge opened, making a stupid look.

"Greedy?" he repeated. Perhaps he misheard it. Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Fuuri was never acknowledged as a greedy boy in his sixteen years of life!

"You don't want to be engaged with him, but you want him to love you," Murata shrugged, smirking slyly. "Can you explain what is it if not greedy?"

"Explain?" Yuuri blinked. "Hey, you got it all wrong! It doesn't mean that I want him to love me! I only want to know if he lying or not!" Yuuri abruptly waved his hands frantically, trying to hide his flushing face again.

"Ah, I see...," Murata raised his brows tauntingly, not believing what Yuuri said.

"Whatever, Murata, you're not helping at all! Talk about the Great Sage!" Yuuri threw his back to Murata, sulking. He was wrong to trust Murata. Very wrong. That pervert didn't even have any intentions to help him!

"Well, romance's not my field...," chuckling, Murata answered carelessly. Moment later, his smirk was gradually vanished as his eyes drifted to the door behind them, catching a figure of a flabbergasted man. They stared at each other for a quite long time, before the other person shook his head. Finally letting out a deep sigh, Murata's eyes then followed the man go out from the room silently.

"Hey, Murata?"

"...Hm, yes?" the sage glanced back to his King, promptly forming a smile again on his lips.

"Why are you here this early?" Yuuri questioned as his head now could think normally again.

Murata usually spent his time in Shinou's Temple. Not only because the temple was full of beautiful women – yes, Murata was a perverted sage – but he also had a strong bond with the Original King. Perhaps that was why he chose to stay nearer to Shinou than to Yuuri, his current King.

"Today's Lord von Bielefeld's birthday party, right? Say, Shibuya, have you prepared a present for him?" Murata retorted still with his smile, changing the topic quickly. He came to tell Gwendal about something really important, but Yuuri didn't have to know.

"Present!? I forgot!!" Yuuri eyes widened, slapping his own forehead. He forgot about the present! How could he?!

"Why don't you prepare something? You still have time," Murata pointed to the door with his thumb, gesturing Yuuri to quickly make his way searching for a present.

"I don't know what to give him! I have to think something! What to give, what to give,...Arrgh! Later, Murata!" Yuuri dashed out of his office, babbling in panic, leaving Murata alone. How if Wolfram burns him for forgetting his birthday present!? He would be dead!

Being alone in the office, Murata exhaled tiredly. Clearly he was only teasing Yuuri. In Shin Makoku, there was no tradition to give presents in someone's birthday. But thanks to Yuuri's naivety, Murata could successfully avoid the topic he didn't want Yuuri to know.

* * *

Yuuri wrinkled his forehead. No, he wasn't play acting as Gwendal. It was just he currently fell into deep bewilderment.

The party had been started in the second floor ballroom, with four balconies in the right and left side of it. All of the guess had come, as Yuuri could see Lady Celi with his lover, Fanbalen, were talking intimately in the corner of the ballroom. Lady Flynn from Caloria, Layla and King Antoine from Franchia, the ten nobles, and many other human countries' representatives which had formed diplomatic relationships with Shin Makoku were also coming. Though Shou Shimaron's Saralegui couldn't come and only sent a letter to Yuuri.

But, what made Yuuri confounded was the expressions of Gwendal, Conrart, and also Wolfram. The Maou had locked himself in the kitchen all day, not meeting with anyone until the party started. And now that he had come out, everyone acted all different.

"Happy birthday, Wolfram!"

Greta yelled cheerily, hugging his blond father's waist. The fire Mazoku only replied her with a smile, ruffling her curly hair. But it was obvious to Yuuri that the blonde's eyes didn't smile.

"Wolfram, are you alright?" Yuuri questioned carefully, afraid that he would be greeted by tantrums as usual. But strangely, Wolfram only sent him that smile, the same one with the one he gave Greta. Did it mean that his injuries were still that bad?

Feeling uneasy, Yuuri diverted his eyes to Gwendal, who was sipping a glass of wine near the balcony. The King noticed that the gray haired man kept on observing him. Or... Observing Wolfram? Still, whichever it was, Gwendal seemed to be more tensed than usual. His wrinkles doubled, and sometimes Yuuri caught a glimpse of sorrow in the older man's eyes.

Conrart in the other hand, tried hard to look as smiley as ever, but he seemed to be kinder than usual. He talked very carefully, very gentle to Yuuri, as if the brunette was afraid to hurt Yuuri. He stayed by Yuuri's side, together with Murata, whose glasses kept on gleaming mysteriously. Everything was strange. Yuuri knew, something must have happened.

"Your Majesty, it's been a long time," Lady Flynn came and greeted him, jerking him to the reality again.

"Ah, that's right, it's been a long time, Lady Flynn. How's Caloria?" Yuuri rubbed his back of neck, smiling awkwardly, while walking towards the woman. As he stopped his feet right in front of the Caloria's leader, his eyes noticed a bunch of people rushed towards Wolfram. Wow, he only left the blond to talk for a while and those girls and _boys_ had made their moves.

Earlier, Conrart had told him that the number of Wolfram's admires had been decreased from last year. To think about it now, it was clearly seen that Wolfram's admirers were mostly only chasing after his position as Lady Celi's son. Means, they wanted to be the relatives of the former Maou.

It was a common sense to choose the youngest, the prettiest, and the most naive one to chase after, than the mature and smart two older brothers. Yuuri now understood, that was why Wolfram got angry every year. The bishounen knew his admirers' real intention and couldn't tolerate it. And now that Yuuri had become a Maou, more than a half of the blonde's admirers switched their target to Yuuri, thinking that they might be able to become Yuuri's concubine, if not the King's consort.

When Yuuri first entered the ballroom, they quickly surrounded him, making him hard to breathe. It seemed that Wolfram had also predicted it, that was why he forbid Yuuri to protect him. The blond thought that it was better for Yuuri if the annoying material girls and boys were targeting him instead of the King. But he couldn't do anything about it anyway. Meanwhile, some people still stayed on Wolfram's side, thinking that it was better to stay out from the tight competition, and becoming the former Maou's relative was good enough.

The blond himself had been acting weird tonight. He didn't get angry seeing Yuuri surrounded by those people, nor did he angry finding himself circled by his admirers. The Maou had to excuse himself to find Greta so that he could get fresh air, and of course, to order Wolfram for staying near to him. That way those people would think that they were having a family time – two fathers and a daughter – and wouldn't dare to interrupt them. But now that Yuuri talked to Flynn, they came again to Wolfram, causing Yuuri to be upset.

"Caloria's people really want to meet you again, Your Majesty. Perhaps you could visit our country again?" Lady Flynn smiled stunningly, her greyish blue hair fell down along her shoulders soothingly. She was wrapped in a night blue gown, with long sleeves and simple blue pendant to complete her look.

"Sure, it's fun to go there. Ah, how's T-Zou? As healthy as ever?" Yuuri pointed his fore finger, remembering the unique sheep which hated manju to the core. The puffy animal helped him deviate his mind from Wolfram and enlighten his mood.

"Very healthy, Your Majesty, last time it accidentally ate a manju and causing a fuss in the town," Flynn laughed with a hand covering her lips, graciously inviting Yuuri to laugh along. Really, Yuuri felt that he should thank her now. Seeing her beautiful face seemed to make him regaining his normal side again. Lately he had been too intriguiged with the whole gay relationships thing after all...

* * *

"Your Eminence, is it true, what you said this morning?" Conrart enquired, keeping his voice low. He leaned to the far corner wall, his eyes not leaving Yuuri, who was still talking to Flynn in the middle of the ballroom. He decided to talk with Murata when Günter came with Waltorana to their King. They seemed eager to talk about something, impatiently waited for Yuuri to finish his chat with Flynn.

"About the boxes? Unfortunately it's true," Murata took a place besides the brunette, crossing his arms before his chest.

"But why could they shake? There is nothing inside the boxes. Soushu is gone," Conrart rubbed his chin. This morning, Murata had told Gwendal, Günter, and him about the phenomenon the boxes made last night. They shook, although lightly, but positively signing that something strange was happening. The great Shinou even surprised to see them moving.

"Soushu is gone, indeed. That's unquestionningly true. But the horses went mad, and it wasn't only in our castle. In another villages and human countries as well."

Murata recalled when the pigeons came to the office's window while they were still in the middle of the meeting. Josak and Conrart's other underlings had sent reports regarding the crazy animals case. Horses, sheep, and even bad omen birds, randomly became mad. Although the cases weren't as big as Kotsuhizoku case and could be easily handled by the experts, it was still would lead them to something terrible.

"And it happens in the wrong time," Conrart mused, his eyes glittered with worries. Glancing to his blond brother who was silent all the time although surrounded by the crowd, he smiled dryly. "I hope they could go through it."

"If it's Shibuya, I believe he could. But the problem is, he will experience the most awful thing in his life..."

And Conrart only nodded in silence.

* * *

Sensing the blond older man begin tapping his fingers to his glass wine, Yuuri realized that he had made Waltorana waiting too long. Lady Flynn herself had been taking short glances towards the leader of the ten nobles nervously. Knowing that making Waltorana angry would cause him troubles – like being dragged to the round table – Yuuri quickly ended his conversation with Flynn and greeted the aristocrat. Looked like Wolfram too had been pulled from the crowd by his uncle to join him.

"It makes me proud, knowing my nephew saved our King," Waltorana started, wrapping Wolfram's shoulder with his big hand. "But it's a shame, knowing that our King came out carelessly into danger."

Yuuri grimaced. He knew it! Waltorana must have been angry after hearing the fact that his beloved nephew almost killed from saving Yuuri.

"Sorry,... But I couldn't think at that time...."

"Then you have to learn controlling your acts. And your emotions also," the strict blonde spoke up, raising his eyebrows proudly.

"...Right," Yuuri smiled with a shrug. He knew he wouldn't win against Waltorana.

"His Majesty is too young, Lord von Bielefeld," Günter joint in, trying to defend his King. "I believe if we wait longer-"

"Being young cannot become the reason for his tactless act," Waltorana cut Günter's word sternly. "We cannot wait, he has to be aware of his position as a Demon King."

_That again?_

"Waltorana, I'm sorry for being tactless, but hearing my important person screaming, I can't just stay silent! I also want to protect him!" Yuuri howled, his eyes shot through Waltorana's sharply. He didn't like it when everyone kept on bringing his duty as a King. He was just a normal boy! He had feelings, not merely a robot who did his entire job perfectly without emotions!

Wolfram's eyes widened, staring at Yuuri's serious expression, while Günter brought his hands to cover his huge opened mouth. The King had just said that Wolfram was his important person?

"But it seems you're the one who was being protected," Waltorana threw a challenging look, resulting the young king to open his mouth in realization.

That was true... He couldn't do anything to save anyone, yet he spoke so cocky... How embarrassing!

"That isn't true, Uncle. If it's not because of Yuuri, I might be dead now," Wolfram finally voiced out, touching his sore arm. He still felt the pain, but it was much better than having a fractured arm and other internal bruising.

"He was the one who made you injured in the first place," Waltorana challenged again, inviting a gulp and a sweat drop from Yuuri.

Shaking his head, Wolfram stated firmly. "I was injured because of my own carelessness. It happened before Yuuri came."

Hearing the young Demon's answer, Waltorana stayed silent, staring intensely at his nephew. Yuuri and Günter observed them, fidgeting silently as they both afraid the two hot-tempered mazoku would hold a fire balls war. Though Yuuri didn't really know if Waltorana was a fire wielder like Wolfram. He hadn't seen his maryoku.

"Well, I'm actually not angry at all," Waltorana smiled slightly, patting Wolfram's back, causing the younger man to cough. "It's nice to know you two care at each other."

"Uncle...," Wolfram massaged his chest. Thanks to the pat, his spit almost choked him. Through his eyes' corner, he could see Yuuri suddenly formed a stupid smile, as if saying _'Thanks for helping, __W__olfram!' _or _'Good job, Wolfram!'_

Günter's eyes widened cheerfully, hearing Waltorana's answer. Cured from the tension he felt before, he started clasping his hands before his chest and wailing dramatically. "Your Majesty! Don't forget me! I care about Your Majesty too!!"

"Yeah, yeah, thanks, I know...," Yuuri laughed, rubbing his back of neck again. He then glanced to his fiance, expecting him to shout the '_Of course I care about him more, I'm Yuuri's fiancé!'_ line, but strangely Yuuri didn't hear a word.

"But it doesn't change the fact that you must be really careful next time, Your Majesty!" Waltorana returned to his grim face, making Yuuri's face fall. He groaned under his breath. Why this man always succeeded in making him feel threatened?

"Happy birthday, Brother Wolfram," a woman's voice interrupted, as a figure of a blond, wavy haired Elizabeth came to Yuuri's sight. She wore a sleeveless pale pink dress with red beads on the waist line. Gorgeous, absolutely mesmerizing and made Yuuri captivated. But the lass herself only paid her attention to Wolfram.

"Elizabeth, so you're coming," Wolfram replied.

"Of course. But I can't go near you since you seemed comfortable with your fans this year," Elizabeth shrugged and turned her face toward the young King, bowing to show her gratitude. Everyone could see that the girl was in jealousy for seeing Wolfram didn't outcast his admirers. After all, Elizabeth only willed to give Wolfram to Yuuri.

"Don't be ridiculous, Elizabeth," Wolfram snapped. His mood was in the worst condition, Yuuri could tell just by seeing those dead emerald eyes. They weren't shiny as usual.

"Hn, to avoid those admirers, why don't you two get married soon?" Waltorana suggested, staring at Yuuri and Wolfram in turn. "Being engaged for almost a year is more than enough, isn't it?"

"Eeh?!" Yuuri squeaked. His eye balls threatened to drop from their respective places.

_Married!? __But I'm only sixteen__! __A__nd, and... With a guy!?_

"That's true, the marriage can also raise our people's loyalty to His Majesty. They will think the King is serious to take care this country," Günter added something that Yuuri thought as unnecessary. As if he wasn't serious all of this time. Sneaking out from the lessons and paper work wasn't considered as unserious, right?

"If it's Your Majesty, I can trust Brother Wolfram to you," Elizabeth smiled too sweetly, making the flabbergasted Yuuri to lose at words even more. Great, now everyone would force him to marry soon, or for the worst, it could be tomorrow!

_Where's Murata when I need him?!_

"I don't think we should marry soon."

The line which came from Wolfram's mouth made everyone freeze. Did they mishear it?

"Yuuri and I... We're not ready to marry yet," Wolfram repeated, his eyes found the carpeted floor as an interesting object to see. His hand still touching his injured arm, while his formal blue uniform looked perfectly plastered against his skin.

"Wolfram!" Günter yelped, immediately made his way to touch Wolfram's forehead. "Are you sick!?"

"Of course not!" the fire wielder shoved Gunter's hand off, irritated. "I have a reason, that's all!"

"And what kind of reason it would be?" Waltorana raised one brow, clearly felt something suspicious to his nephew's act.

"...Yuuri is still sixteen."

"Is that a problem?" Waltorana pushed.

"Of course it is," the voice from behind Yuuri made them slid their gaze towards the sage, who was smiling before continuing his saying.

"Shibuya's still a high school boy, he needs the education so he cannot drop out from school. At least we should wait until he graduates so that he can focus at his kingdom and his family in here."

"Hmm..., that makes sense, Lord von Bielefeld," Günter agreed, glancing towards the golden haired noble.

"If His Eminence said so...," Waltorana nodded thoughtfully. If Yuuri was still travelling between the two worlds as often as now, it would be bad for his nephew's married life. And of course he didn't want it to happen.

Wolfram, in the other hand, didn't look satisfied at all. He kept on silence and bit his lower lips. Noticing the sage stared at him with something in his mind, Wolfram was afraid that he wouldn't be able to hold his emotions any longer. Finally, he immediately excused him self to get out from the ballroom.

"I'm tired. I'm going back to my room now."

"Ah, maybe you should," Waltorana retorted in agreement. "You're still injured after all."

"Yes, Uncle. Then everyone, please excuse me," the bishounen nodded respectfully to the others, before making his way out from the ballroom.

Watching Wolfram went out, Günter and Elizabeth assumed that perhaps Wolfram behaved weirdly because he was in pain. And Murata, he only followed Wolfram's retreating back with his concerned eyes – behind his gleaming glasses. While Yuuri was still halted from the moment he heard Wolfram refuse to marry him.

Honestly... Why did the blond say something like that? Well, he was saved by the blonde's statement, but the normal Wolfram wouldn't say something like that, wouldn't he?

And, and... What was this pain in his chest?

Clutching his collar, Yuri knew his asthma came again. While he tried hard to inhale, he could barely recognize his surroundings. What he did know was, Wolfram's back started to go away from his sight. It meant... Wolfram was leaving.

"I- I'll go with Wolfram!" Yuuri suddenly shouted, making the others to be surprised.

Staring in confusion, they all watched their King dashed out from the room. The Maou didn't care to wait for their answer, and he even forgot about Greta, who was chattering animatedly with Anissina. But they all knew, the young boy's mind was occupied by worries.

* * *

Wolfram stood besides his shared bed with Yuuri, unbuttoning his uniform. His mind was in a mess. He even could taste blood from biting his lower lip too often. He sat on the bedside, letting his unbuttoned uniform hanging along his body. Gritting his teeth, his mind flew back to what happened in the morning, when Gwendal approached him out of nowhere.

"Gwendal might be right...," he sighed. "I don't love..."

"Wolfram?"

Startled, wolfram snapped his head to Yuuri, who was poking his head from the door. The young King smiled awkwardly, before entering the room with a trolley. He was panting, but his smile didn't leave his lips, as he walked nearer to where Wolfram sat.

"Yuuri, did you hear...?

"Hear what?" Yuuri asked, tilting his head to the side.

Silence.

"Wolfram?"

"No, it's nothing," the blond smiled, his eyes showed something between relieved and confused. His fingers intertwining with each other, while he finally glanced toward the trolley.

"What's that, Yuuri?"

"Ah, this?" Yuuri took off the food's cover on the trolley to reveal a cake on it. Its shape wasn't good at all, it was uncimetrist and the cream was uneven. There were several strawberries on the top of the cake, and right in the middle, there was Wolfram's name written with jelly.

"I made this for you this afternoon, sorry it's not good. Effe helped me, but I think I might have to make it by myself," Yuuri scratched his head, embarrassed. "I hope I spelled your name correctly."

"Yuuri...," Wolfram bit his lip again.

"Here, on earth you could make your wish while blowing the candle off," the Maou put a candle and lit it, thinking that the earth's tradition would make Wolfram to enlighten his mood. He smiled softly as he lifted the cake, and bent over to set the cake right in front of Wolfram's face.

"Happy birthday, Wolfram."

"...Yuuri ..."

Utter silence.

"Hey, Wolfram?"

The blond curled his fingers into fists.

"Yuuri, ...thanks but I can't accept this...," he answered with a whisper, closing his eyes to avoid the raven-haired boy's eyes.

Yuuri froze at the rejection, feeling his heart slashed by a knife. Moments later, he forced a smile, trying to look strong. Although he hated to hear Wolfram's tantrums everyday, but he prefer those tantrums than hearing Wolfram's formal decline. He could sense the pain swimming through his heart and didn't want to go away.

"But Wolfram, I made this for you."

"No, I can't accept it..."

"You could just blow the candle if you don't want to eat this."

"Please, Yuuri, I thank you, but I just can't!"

"But Wolfram!"

"Yuuri!" Wolfram stood up out of the blue as he couldn't stand his emotions any longer, causing Yuuri to shriek and stumble from surprise. He landed on the floor, while the cake fell on him, perished.

"Oh!" Wolfram's eyes widened. "I'm - I'm sorry, Yuuri, I didn't mean to..."

"Wolfram! What's wrong with you!?" Yuuri cried, cocking his head up to glare at the blond soldier, insisting to get explanation. He was more than upset. He was disappointed, pained, and devastated. But instead of answering him, Wolfram only stared at him with sorrow, in a very long time.

"...Wolfram?" Yuuri continued to push, now carefully. His body shifted to a sitting position on the floor, ignoring the destroyed cake on his lap. His heart began hammering his chest as he sensed something bad slowly crawling inside his heart.

"Sorry Yuuri, I need time," Wolfram apologized again, his eyes slumped to the floor. While Yuuri only stared at him from losing at words, the blond then started heading to the door.

"Wolfram! Why? Where are you going!?"

Stopping his move right after opening the door, Wolfram voiced out without turning his head to his King.

"Yuuri, I'm sorry. I'll sleep in my room from now on."

And there he went out, closing the door of the royal bedchamber, ignoring the Maou's desperate screaming from behind the door.

"WOLFRAM....!!"

* * *

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

**(To be Continued)**

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

* * *

**A/N:** Yuuri made a cake for Wolfram~! I heard that Wolfram liked sweets, so yeah, I made this chapter like this. What did exactly happen to Wolfram and the others while Yuuri was in the kitchen? Will be revealed in the next chapter!


	4. The Invitation From One Possible Ally

**Disclaimer: **I only own this plot

**Beta Reader: **Becca2793, she beta read this chapter within a day~! Very fast~! X3

**Special Thanks to: **ThinE, you've helped me a lot in this chapter, dear =3

**Comment:**

Like I've said before, this fic would contain a lot of flashbacks from the anime (that's why I suggest you to watch the anime first). But I think this chapter would be the last one that included a lot of spoilers from the anime. (Yeah, maybe... =3))

Oh, and this fic is started after season 3 of the anime, and I follow through the story. So, if there will be a season 4, it would be normal if our beloved characters would face new enemies and new conflicts with some mysterious bonds with the old conflicts, right? That's why I work hard to fit the political situations after the conflict of Season 3 into this fic. And this fanfic would be the result of my hard thinking every night =3

Enjoy~!

**Dictionary:**

Shin Makoku: New Makoku

Shou Shimaron: Small Shimaron

Dai Shimaron: Big Shimaron

Maryoku: The Demon Tribe's magic, controlled by using Majutsu (the Demon's power).

Houryoku: The God Race/Shinzoku's magic (a race from a country named Seisakoku). Humans also can use houryoku by holding red stones (Houseki).

I use the Japanese way to call the countries because the anime's subtitles used them. Thus, I think you can feel more familiar with those Japanese names. And about the magic things, I use those names just simply to differentiate between the Demon's magic and the Human's magic. =3

* * *

**LEARNING THE VERITY**

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

**#4 Truth:**

**The Invitation From ****One Possible Ally**

~*0~*o~*0*~o*~0*~

* * *

Wolfram threw himself to the huge bed. His eyes tightly shut and his breathing was heavy, reflecting how enraged he was.

Yes, he was angry.

Not at the double black, but at his own self.

"What have I done...?"

He covered his face with one hand, hearing his voice crack. He could feel his head being attacked by the nausea. Opening his eyes, he stared at the ceiling through his parted fingers, swallowing the bitter saliva in his mouth.

His room was abandoned for a long time already. Although he slept in his original chamber before he broke his engagement to Yuuri because of his uncle wanted him to take the throne, Wolfram never imagined that he would come back again to sleep in this room. The maids still regularly cleaned the room, while he often went in to take things he left and moved them to Yuuri's chamber. So it wasn't dirty. It was, in fact, still the big, luxurious chamber made for the former Maou's youngest son, the ex-crowned prince Wolfram von Bielefeld.

But he actually didn't like it.

Wolfram flattened his lips to avoid another voice slide out. He didn't bother himself to light the candles, which were arranged neatly on the corner table, together with Beautiful Wolframs in a vase. The dressing table with a big, archaic engraved mirror was placed besides the huge enticing wooden wardrobe – which was now half-emptied since Wolfram had moved almost all of his clothes to Yuuri's room. The maroon heavy curtain covered the windows, letting no moonlight to go through the room. The only light Wolfram could find was some soft rays from the candles in the hallway, which slipped inside from under his door.

Wolfram shook his head.

He made his King sad. He made Yuuri disappointed. He was...

He was a failed fiancé...

Gritting his teeth, Wolfram felt his blood slowly slide down along one of his palm, the result of clenching his fist too tight.

"Yuuri..."

Closing his eyes in desperation, Wolfram whispered, almost choked by his own spit. He clutched the sheet, marking its white and beige pattern with blood. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't. He just....

He just couldn't forgive his own self...

* * *

"It finally happened."

Gwendal cocked his head up, distracted from his activity before – staring at his glass of wine. He tightened his grip to the glass, straightening his back, and leaning to the balcony. He cleared his throat before retorting to his little brother.

"Wolfram has lost to his own emotion. He's going to hurt the boy. Wouldn't you go and comfort your godson, Conrart?"

"No I wouldn't. It's not my time. Not until His Majesty comes and talk to me," the brunette calmly answered, although his eyes showed that he was far from calm. He glanced around the room to find that everyone was still enjoying the party, despite the fact that the birthday boy and the King had long disappeared from the room. Their admirers were disappointed, but they still enjoyed the party after all.

Murata smiled bitterly, shrugging his shoulder as the gray haired man glancing towards him.

"Nothing we can do for now," he reminded Gwendal.

Said person shifted his gaze to the floor, sipping his wine. Gwendal knew he had taken something too far. Perhaps he shouldn't have done it, but to the contrary, perhaps he was right in doing it. It was for Wolfram, for his little brother who put his King on top of everything.

The three of them fell into a silence as they recalled this morning's event.

* * *

"Look, I've been wondering… If Wolfram really loves me."

Gwendal thought he was going to prepare more paper work for Yuuri, walking to his office very early in the morning. The baseball boy would have tons of excuses to avoid his paper work, and Gwendal must read all over the papers so that the spoiled King would only have to sign them – the job which Yuuri found as tiring, completely uncaring to the fact that Gwendal had made it easier to him. But what had greeted him as he opened the door, was something he would never imagine before.

The double black King, the current Maou of Shin Makoku, also known as his baby brother's fiancé, said that he _doubt__ed _Wolfram's love. Shibuya Yuuri who _never _ever doubted anyone, _doubting_ his little brother's love.

What could be considered as a shame for his family more than this? It was a big shame for Wolfram, to be doubted by his own fiancé, let alone the fiancé was the naive Yuuri. It doubled the shame.

Gwendal grunted secretly, his eyes narrowed in anger, as his ears caught the conversation between the Sage and the Maou further. Gwendal was no fool. He understood that Yuuri was slowly developing his feelings towards Wolfram, putting aside that the King himself was oblivious to the matter. It was supposedly only about time. Eventually Yuuri would accept Wolfram as his real fiancé, and not only as an accidental fiancé. But now things weren't as easy as Gwendal thought before. His little brother had made it even worse.

Gwendal couldn't contemplate the reason, why would the eternally clueless Yuuri doubt about Wolfram's feelings, if it wasn't because the blond himself show it? What had Wolfram done to Yuuri? What had Wolfram said?

The talk about Wolfram wasn't loving Yuuri was only between Gwendal and Anissina, no one knew about that. Gwendal noted, Conrart was a different case. He was a great observer, he loved Wolfram on top of the others, he would understand how Wolfram really felt. And the other person who was aware of it, must be none other than the Sage, as nothing could escape from him. And the proof was, how Murata expression changed as their eyes met each other now. His smile vanished as his glasses glimmered mysteriously.

As what Gwendal heard from their conversation, the Sage was hiding something from his King. He didn't say anything about Wolfram's feelings, instead he cheered Yuuri up and teased him. But Gwendal knew better. Nothing would be good when the strategist's glasses were shining like that.

He sighed. He must do something.

Shaking his head firmly, he made a gesture to Murata, planning to retreat from the office. Closing the door again, Gwendal cancelled his plan on working with paperwork, as his mind found the next destination. For the sake of his family's name. For the sake of his King. Moreover, for the sake of his dearest little brother.

He quickly headed to the royal bedchamber, passing the guards who curiously stared at him. They might be confused in seeing the usual grumpy gray haired man became even grumpier. His wrinkles weren't doubled, in fact, they were tripled – if that was even possible. He turned left to where the chamber was located, but was stopped by the ever smiling Conrart.

"Gwendal, what makes you come to His Majesty's chamber this early?"

Gwendal growled. "And what makes you to also do so?"

"Morning jog, supposedly. But His Majesty isn't in his room anymore," the brunette raised his brown brows, smiling although he was quite confounded. It was rare that Yuuri missed his morning jog.

"I need to talk to Wolfram."

"He's still asleep, with Greta," Conrart pointed to the door. "Are you going to say happy birthday to him? You'd better not, because he'd get angry if you disturb his sleep."

"There's no such thing!" Gwendal barked, stomped to the door. He opened it and hurriedly made his way to Wolfram's side of bed. Usually the blond would invade almost the entire bed with his hands and legs spread out everywhere. But now he was injured. His body seemed to protect itself from becoming more painful, as his sleeping was calm, stayed still in his side. Greta lay besides him, hugging the blonde's waist.

"Wolfram, wake up!" Gwendal shook Wolfram's shoulder lightly, ignoring his impatient emotions raging in his heart. His baby brother stirred, letting out a moan, before drifted to sleep again.

"Wolfram!" he almost shouted, but tried hard to not since Greta was still sleeping soundly. He wouldn't want to disturb the cute little girl's dream.

"...Brother?" emerald eyes opened slowly, blinking as the blond saw the frowning face before him.

"Wake up and get ready. We have to talk."

"...What? What time is it? Why should-"

"Now!" Gwendal commanded, not giving any chances for Wolfram to refuse. Startled, the blond only nodded as his eyes lost the sleepiness immediately. The face of his oldest brother was enough to make him fully awake.

Walking out the chamber together with Conrart, Gwendal ordered Wolfram to get ready as they would wait for him in his office. The fire wielder turned to his feet, rubbing his eyes while his mind wondering to what was possibly Gwendal would talk about. He pulled off his pink nightgown and changed to his neat blue uniform. He needed to at least wash his face and brush his teeth, if Gwendal couldn't wait for him to take a bath. Sighing, he directed to the royal's bathroom while his mind suddenly realize that his fiancé wasn't on the bed anymore.

Conrart was with Gwendal. The brown-haired soldier wouldn't leave the Maou to jog alone, he was overly protective to the double black after all. Realizing about the fact, Wolfram started to worry if what Gwendal wanted to talk about was related to the missing Yuuri. As his heart rate started to increase, Wolfram quickly finished his business in the bathroom and forwarded to Gwendal's office, where his two older brothers waited for him.

"Answer my question," Gwendal started firmly with his sharp stare. He leaned his chin to his intertwined fingers, as his elbows stayed on the table to sustain his head.

Wolfram only nodded, stealing a short glance to his little big brother behind him, striving to get any clue about what would happen. Said brother only shook his head, as he himself didn't know what exactly came through the oldest Celi's son's mind.

"What do you feel about our King?"

Wolfram's eyebrows connected with each other, not expecting that kind of question. "What do I feel? Of course I love him, isn't that obvious?"

Hearing their little brother's answer, Gwendal sighed while Conrart's eyes softened in worry. The blonde himself was getting more and more anxious, his mind drifting to why Murata was in the office also. The Daikenja was leaning to the wall, behind Gwendal's table, and his usual naughty smile wasn't plastered on his lips. Wolfram started fidgeting as he still didn't find Yuuri in there.

"If you really love him, why are you alright with him always rejecting you?"

"What?" Wolfram frowned, "Brother, who said that I'm alright?!"

"So you're not alright? But you look alright in my eyes. You throw your tantrums, but you never look so serious about that," Gwendal replied, now putting his palms on the table.

"No, I'm not alright! I just don't want to push him too much because he's a wimp! But of course I love him, everyone knows that I love him!"

"Why do you sound like you're assuring yourself?"

Wolfram halted.

He sounded like assuring himself? About what? About his love to Yuuri?

Conrart stared at his little brother silently. His eyes, once glistened with worries, were now replaced by sorrow, as he knew what will happen next. Murata observed from behind his glasses, looking calm although his heart was aching from thinking about every possibilities Wolfram and Yuuri would face.

"Brother, what do you mean by....? I'm not-"

"Wolfram!" Gwendal exclaimed, cutting Wolfram's diffident words. "What do you know about love? Do you understand what jealousy is? Do you know the feelings of wanting to always be by your loved one's side?"

Wolfram swallowed, kneading his hands into fists. Inwardly, he sensed it. He felt how his heart pulled him into more and more confusion as each of Gwendal's questions slid into his brain.

All in all, why couldn't he answer them immediately? He had understood about love, hadn't he? He knew what jealousy was, and he always chased after Yuuri because he wanted to be by his side. In the past, he used to hate Yuuri. But his pride made him control himself and he gradually accepted the wimpy King as his fiancé, as the man he should love. Yes... Yuuri was the man he should love. But...

Why didn't he address him as the man he loved, rather than the man he _should _love?

"Brother, I understand jealousy, I'm always angry when Yuuri flirts with girls," Wolfram stated insecurely.

Gwendal shook his head, shutting his eyes in vexation. Conrart was going to interrupt, but as he opened his mouth, Gwendal stopped him by raising his hand.

"Anger is different from jealousy."

"What?" the blond knight knitted his eyebrows together, perplexed at his oldest brother's statement.

"You are angry just like a child whose toy's taken by another child. That's not really jealousy. What you are supposed to feel when you're jealous is pain."

_Pain?_

"But... I want to be by his side. I cried when he went to his world...," the blonde clutched his uniform's fabric. He remembered the time when he told Yuuri to choose Earth, as the King had his real family on Earth. He still could feel the grief inside his heart, the feelings that roamed his chest for thinking that he wouldn't be able to see Yuuri again.

"If I could say something to you, Wolfram... You were sad that you'd lose your pillar of life, the meaning of your life that you finally could gain, the thing that only could be done by you as his fiancé. You lose them all if you lose him. And you really care for him as your King, the one to whom you vow your loyalty. You put his happiness on top of all, although it would make you suffer. But Wolfram, you should know that love, loyalty as a subject, and caring about someone are completely different emotions," Conrart voiced out, pointing what Wolfram possibly needed to be guided.

Slowly, Wolfram diverted his gaze toward the brunette, sinking deeper into bewilderment. What could make loyalty, care and love to be different? What was wrong from being sad to lose someone who gave your life a meaning? Wolfram couldn't comprehend it at all.

"If you love someone, you'd know him whatever the circumstances are. But you didn't recognize that it wasn't him when The Great One possessed our King, did you? Conrart was the one who noticed it," Gwendal remarked, continuing Conrart's sentences to push Wolfram further.

The blonde's eyes snapped back to Gwendal, freezing. He swallowed, before shaking his head slightly as his words stumbled in his throat.

That was true... He was Yuuri's fiancé, and yet he failed to recognize the double black at that time. Was that because he didn't really put his attention to the King? But... but his feelings to Yuuri were true, right? If not, why should he bother to chase after him and catch him when he fell? Why should he declare that he would die for his love to him, when they were attacked by the miasma in the snow mountain and rested in a cave? Was it really only care and not love? Was it for his duty, merely the part of his loyalty as a subject, and not for love?

"Your loyalty and pride as a Demon run deep. And your admiration towards him in this one year has grown exponentially. That's blinded you and made you mistake your feelings for something else."

_Mistaken? Me? _

Wolfram shook his head harder upon registering what Gwendal meant.

"Or could you say something to make me sure that you really love him?" Gwendal questioned, and although it sounded like a challenge, it wasn't. He was upset to know that Wolfram had made Yuuri doubt his feelings, but now that he saw Wolfram's expression with his own eyes, Gwendal couldn't bear to keep on being harsh.

"I...," Wolfram eyed the floor. A mixture of confusion, anger, fear, and hurt was attacking his heart, making him knead his fists even tighter. He loved Yuuri, he knew that, he always knew that. But... Why did he hesitate to answer Gwendal's question?

"Wolfram, as far as I know, you never liked men before...," Conrart commented, smiling softly as he recalled that every time his mother claimed that Wolfram's beauty would make every man fall to him, the blond would shout that he wasn't happy to be chased by men. That was what Wolfram's always announced before the slapping incident.

Wolfram glanced to Conrart, his mouth slightly opened and then closed again as he felt his body shaking.

Indeed, he was never into men before Yuuri slapped him, and he didn't love him immediately after that. There was no way he could love Yuuri just because of one duel, no matter how cute he was. But his pride as a noble Mazoku, a person who had been chosen to become the Maou's fiancé, making him to try hard in gaining Yuuri's love. He pursued the King, he even sneaked into Yuuri's room just to make Yuuri love him. But...

The truth was, he tried hard to make himself to love Yuuri...

And he thought he had succeeded.

"Wolfram, your eagerness towards your duty and your loyalty to the King has confused you," Conrart added, tapping Wolfram's shoulder. The blonde himself had slumped into his own deep thinking, striving to figure out what he really felt. Wolfram now slowly understood. Every time he declared his love, every time he tried hard to make Yuuri love him, he never thought about Yuuri's feelings at all.

He never thought if Yuuri would love to see him in that frilly pink night gown, he had never been concerned what Yuuri would feel every time he showed his jealousy to the whole nation. He never cared about those things. He never minded if Yuuri would be happy when he talked to the Maou about their future, their marriage, and their children. Every protest from the wimp passed through his ears, but he never ever took them seriously. If he got angry, it was because he felt his pride was hurt, and not because his heart was broken.

Hence, what he always thought was that he should show his love to Yuuri. He should love Yuuri. And all of his actions, all of his words were what he should do and say if he really loved Yuuri. In short, he forced himself to do everything that was supposedly be done by someone who fell in love. And that meant that he didn't...

Wolfram bit his inner mouth.

"...Why?"

Gwendal cocked his head up, urging to catch what his blond brother said. Conrart and Murata exchanged glances, as they sense something wasn't right with Wolfram. At least, the fire wielder's voice was hoarsen and cracked.

"Why would you two say those things to me?" Wolfram gritted his teeth, tears threatening to escape from his eyes. His anger was trying to explode from his entire body, twirling around just like snakes swimming through his blood vessels. He couldn't accept it. Everything was fine before. But now that he realized everything, he wouldn't be able to pretend that nothing had happened.

However, the most important thing that made him angry was, the fact that he was stupid enough for not realizing his own feelings, the fact that he had lied, not just to himself, but also to Yuuri, and also the fact that he was indeed so selfish, to only care about his duty – even had mistaken it as love – all the time. Thence, that made him to be so unforgivable.

"Wolfram, you have to realize your feelings," Gwendal stated.

"What do you mean by that, Brother?! I was planning to take everything slowly, and it was alright! I know that I shouldn't rush everything because Yuuri still cannot accept our engagement! I was willing to wait for him even though it would take a hundred more years! I don't need you to remind me about my feelings because everything was fine before!" Wolfram screamed, stomping one foot forward, totally lost to his agitation.

"You're willing to wait a hundred more years because you're afraid to move further."

"Brother, that's ridiculous! I've already discussed our marriage with Yuuri's mother!"

"That's because you know that our King wouldn't let the marriage to happen in the near time! Wolfram, stop running away from the truth!"

_Running away?_

Wolfram shook his head, taken aback. His face flushed red with anger, and his green eyes opened wide. He couldn't help but think that Gwendal's statement was absurd, but… he also noticed that it was true at the same time.

"Lord von Bielefeld, I agree with Lord von Voltaire. You must realize your own feelings. That's important if you want to keep your relationship with Shibuya," Murata finally spoke up, fixing his glasses' position. "Of course, it doesn't matter if you love him or not, you still can consider your engagement as a part of your duty to this Kingdom."

Wolfram's emerald eyes darkened, while he gritted his teeth to hold his temper. "Your Eminence, of course I will do my duty without questions, however, I cannot ignore Yuuri's feelings if it's really for Yuuri. I cannot lie to him any further, pretending that nothing has happened to me."

"Then you should make yourself clear," Murata talked again with a small smile, making the fire wielder fall into a silence.

Locking his gaze to the floor, Wolfram sank into his reverie. He would be, without a doubt, very glad to finish all of this puzzle within his heart, but… how to make his feelings clear? Duty, loyalty, pride, care and love, how to separate them all? How could he figure it out, if the thing he'd do was for love and not out of duty?

Moreover, could he keep himself at being the Maou's fiancé with this confusion he was currently attaining? He could certainly still become his fiancé – like the Sage said, under the name of duty – but how about their feelings? The Maou's feelings? And his own? Was it really alright to keep the engagement, while the Maou himself didn't want the relationship to happen in the first place? What was the reason to protect this bond if the only string that closed them up – his love, and only his one-sided love – was now doubted by his own self?

Wolfram couldn't contemplate any excuses for this.

Meanwhile, Murata's smile vanished as he watched the blonde's pale face. Like everyone in this room, except for Wolfram, Murata knew Yuuri had grown to like Wolfram, putting aside his naiveté and his stupidity to realize his own feelings. Thus, Murata agreed with Gwendal, that Wolfram must be forced to confront his own feelings before the blond accidentally break Yuuri's heart later.

The sage had his own reason – if Gwendal wanted to save his own family's name and his own brother's feelings – Murata wanted to save Yuuri. Soon the King would face something terrible. And what would happen to him without Wolfram's love? Wolfram must finish it all before the real disaster began.

Murata once thought that it was good enough to let everything just like before as the royal couple's relationship was alright, at least for the two oblivious fiancés. But Yuuri's question this morning made him change his mind. Yuuri had been worried about Wolfram's feelings, and that caused Murata to become afraid that everything would be worse, not to mention the addition of huge possible threats they would confront.

At any rate, even though it was bad for Wolfram, Murata hoped that Wolfram could stay by Yuuri's side, no matter what was the blonde's feeling towards the King. It might be cruel for Wolfram, but Murata couldn't think anything more precious than the country he had built together with Shinou...

"Good morning!"

Günter opened the door out of the blue, inviting the others to snap their eyes towards the long haired advisor. He stepped inside with his exaggerating smile, clasping his hand in front of his chest, moving with his white coat hanging gracefully from his shoulders.

"Anybody has seen His Majesty? I couldn't find him in his chamber. Wolfram? Do you know?" Günter inquired politely, before noticed that the bishounen's face was perplexed.

"Wolfram? What happened?"

"Nothing…," the blond soldier muttered hesitantly, slowly walking out of the room. His mind was in a mess. He hated himself, and of course, would burn himself to death if it was necessary. To add his agony, he was now lost in his own troubles, afraid that he wouldn't know what to say if he found Yuuri. His deep guilt wouldn't give him any spaces to be forgiven. Never.

"What's wrong?" Gunter faced Gwendal, who sighed desperately as Wolfram had disappeared from the room completely.

"Lord von Bielefeld's indeed a hard worker...," Murata mumbled to his own self, which was heard by Gwendal who was near him. The Sage had once told Yuuri about it on a ship, after the incident when Shou Shimaron opened one of the forbidden boxes using Conrart's hand. He had given the oblivious King a clue about Wolfram's feelings, but as expected, the Maou didn't understood.

"_Lord__ von Bielefeld is a hard worker,"Murata claimed as he smiled to his Maou._

"_Work hard? Wolfram? For what?"Yuuri echoed, completely confused. For him, Wolfram was no more than a selfish brat kid after all._

_Murata chuckled knowingly, although his __heart hoping for another reaction from Yuuri. He felt bad for the blond. _

"_To make Shibuya a good King. __Hopefully his eagerness won't make his life bitter…."_

Murata smiled half heartedly. He wished for Wolfram's happiness at that time because he knew that Wolfram's eagerness would surely lead him to face the bitterness. However, he now felt saved because the bishounen would never make Yuuri suffer, even though it would cost him a hardship... And although it was unfair for Wolfram, it was after all, better for Murata and this Kingdom.

"Your Eminence, is there something wrong?" Gwendal disturbed Murata's brooding, causing the bespectacled boy to get back on his senses and shake his head in assuring.

"Nothing," he smiled lightly, before turning his face serious again as he remembered his real purpose in come this early.

"I need to talk to you all. It's about the boxes...

* * *

"I think I need to rest," Murata broke the silent, interrupting Gwendal and Conrart from their train of thoughts. The party was still alive, but Murata couldn't feel the joy to celebrate anything more. Remembering this morning's event, when they crowded Wolfram and forced the blond to confront his feelings, was enough to make Murata lose his energy.

"Ah, me too. I'll take Greta to His Majesty's room," Conrart smiled, nodding slightly to excuse himself without any words more. The brunette might be the most worried one between the three, since he loved Wolfram and Yuuri in the same amount. He wouldn't know with which one to side, was it Yuuri or Wolfram.

"Then, Lord von Voltaire, I'll take my leave," Murata scratched his head, grinning reluctantly and heading outside the ballroom afterwards.

Gwendal, who only nodded to reply the Sage, was now left alone in the balcony, sipping his glass wine again without realizing that the glass had been emptied for a quite long time…

* * *

Yuuri opened his eyes, piercing to the ceiling above his head. He lay on his huge bed, which was now felt vacant as one particular blond wasn't sleeping on it. The little girl, his beloved adopted daughter was free to monopolize the bed, now sleeping with her head near Yuuri's legs and her hands stretched out besides her body.

Greta had been bugging Yuuri the entire night about why his other father didn't sleep in the royal chamber, and why there was a perished cake on the floor. And Yuuri – still holding his pain within his heart – only ordered a maid to clean the cake he had made for Wolfram, before diverting Greta's attention by telling her stories.

The bad omen birds sang their famous bad omen chirping, as the sun rays slid in from between the slightly opened curtains. Yuuri groaned. Another night he passed without sleeping, and now he felt his body started to show its protestation as his temperature became slightly higher. Sitting slowly on the bed's edge, Yuuri taking a short glance to his reflection in the dresser's mirror. He smiled tiredly as the dark purplish circles around his eyes became more visible.

"Good morning, Your Majesty," Günter opened the chamber's door, as his elegant steps soon followed his attitude. His lilac hair swinging beautifully along his walk, and his voice was as melodious as usual.

"Morning, Günter," Yuuri smiled. "Can you tell Conrad that I'm not in the mood to do the morning jog today?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. Besides, there's an urgent call from Gwendal," Günter bowed slightly while his eyes then noticed that the room was lacking of one person. "Where's that selfish loafer?"

Yuuri's eyes lost its shine right away, as his mind was forced to remember the last night's event. He shook his head violently to get rid the thought, but it only made him suffering a headache, so he decided to stop and rubbed his back of neck instead.

"He sleeps in his own room."

Günter blinked. "Did you two... fight?"

"No, I don't think so. Don't worry," Yuuri quickly waved his hand, grinning idiotically to mask his real feelings. It hurt to think about last night, he needed to forget about it.

"Let me get ready and I will be in the office in a moment."

Günter didn't seem to be satisfied with Yuuri's answer. Apparently, he noticed something was wrong with Wolfram yesterday morning. However, he couldn't poke his nose into the Maou's problem. He was his advisor indeed, but not for private problems. So with the decision, he bowed again slightly and graciously walked out of the room, giving the double black the time he needed to get ready.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Yuuri placed his knuckle to his forehead. A fever. It had been a long time since the last time he got a fever. Not because he was that stupid (Japanese people believe that a stupid person wouldn't get a cold), but because he was a healthy athlete. And now thanks to his sleepless nights, he got the cold.

Taking his black uniform from the wardrobe, he began to toss his blue pyjamas to the floor. He slid into the black suits, then glanced towards the sleeping daughter of his. He'd leave her to sleep more, the little girl didn't have to wake this early after all. With that thought, he headed to the royal bathroom and finished everything as fast as possible.

* * *

"There's an invitation from a small human country."

Yuuri sat on one of the chairs which were circling the huge oval table in Gwendal's office. His eyes widened in excitement as Günter approached him and showed him the invitation. It was a red scroll of letter and it was written with golden ink. Very tasteful, Yuuri could say.

"Where is it from?" Wolfram voiced out from the opposite of Yuuri, intertwining his fingers and placed them on the table calmly.

"Vescavia, it's a country in the south of Calvacade. This country's never been involved in any wars and never wanted to make diplomatic relationships with other countries as well. Even Dai Shimaron couldn't spread its authority to this country," Gwendal answered from his desk, between the piles of papers.

"What? Is this Besusabia that powerful?" Yuuri yelped, quite surprised to know that Dai Shimaron couldn't touch the area. Seisakoku was another case, since it was a country of God Race with powerful houryoku and could make a barrier to prevent any disturbance from the outside. But a small human country could do such things?

"Vescavia, Your Majesty. This country had numerous natural resources and had no need to import anything from other countries. They are also strong at science and defence, which made Dai Shimaron to think twice before attacking the country," Günter explained, flicking his hair before adding, "But it doesn't mean that Dai Shimaron never tried to invade it. In Bellar's grandfather's era, they once tried to attack Vescavia, but failed horribly. Even Dai Shimaron's troops weren't strong enough against Vescavia's defence."

"Because they have science, which is lacking in Dai Shimaron," Conrart joined in.

"I see..., is it like bringing earth's technology to fight against Dai Shimaron's troops?"

"Their science is different from the earth, Shibuya," Murata interrupted with a smile. "They still aren't as modern as earth, but their people are clever enough to outcast Dai Shimaron's army without any difficulties."

"In short, it's like a bunch of genius versus idiotic people," Wolfram concluded with a 'humph', gaining Yuuri's attention. The double black boy clutched the table's edge tightly, trying hard to mask the scar he got in his heart from the previous night's rejection.

Yuuri couldn't accept what Wolfram had done to him. He didn't really hold a grudge about the cake, but… he didn't want Wolfram to do such a thing without a reason. Yuuri desperately needed to know what Wolfram had been thinking since the party started. But unfortunately for the King, he lost his confidence to ask. He was afraid to be hurt, if Wolfram would pass him up again. And even now, the blonde had been avoiding his eyes, looking anywhere but the Maou.

Suddenly bird-chirping's sound could be heard from outside of the window, followed by a pigeon flew in and landed on Gwendal's table. The grumpy man quickly took the letter from the pigeon's claw and handed it to the purple haired advisor beside him.

Unfolding the letter, Günter began to read. "It's from Josak. Looks like he delivered bad news."

Gwendal grunted. More bad news? Like they didn't get enough bad news in the last two days.

"A new King had been chosen in Dai Shimaron," Günter carried on with his eyebrows twitched, "Conrart's action in lighting the fire of rebellion between Dai Shimaron's people was a success. Lanzhil has been captured and hung by the civilians."

"Lanzhil!?" Yuuri squeaked.

It was bad, he never liked that King, but... To be hung by his own people was horrible. Yuuri shivered as he imagined how if he was in the same position with Lanzhil.

"I see...," Conrart muttered. "So Adalbert and the others has succeeded in continuing the rebellion."

"And what about this new King? Why didn't they free themselves as a republic but chose another King instead? They would suffer from another authoritarian," Yuuri attempted to catch up with the conversation as far as he could. He wasn't smart, but he had learned in school, right?

"You, yourself is a King, wimp," Wolfram muttered warily.

"...Not a wimp," the raven haired boy replied, although his heart almost burst out from his chest. He didn't expect Wolfram to start a conversation with him, even though the emerald orbs still refused to see his black ones.

"Dai Shimaron people wanted Conrart to take the throne, but Conrart declined," Günter expounded, while Conrart's eyes drifted to the floor. Looked like the Maou's godfather was restless every time they talked about his right as a King in Dai Shimaron.

"And who's this new King?" Gwendal enquired.

"Someone named Richard Weller."

The members of the meeting promptly shot their heads towards Günter, widening their eyes in disbelief. On top of all, Conrart's expression was the most surprised one.

"Weller?" the brunette confirmed.

"Yes, Josak said that he has charisma more than Bellar and Lanzhil. But he doesn't really know more, because this Richard Weller's somewhat difficult to see through," Günter answered after he read the letter again. He shook his head afterwards, bewildered at the situation. Weller surely wasn't a common last name, but to have that family name and even taking the throne as a King, this guy couldn't be an ordinary person.

In the mean time, Conrart fell into silent. He never heard that he had a relative named Richard Weller, and as far as he knew, he had no more siblings other than Gwendal and Wolfram. Was this Richard from his father's family? But why did he show up in Dai Shimaron so suddenly? Conrart knew that he was the only one Weller left and he was the only one who had the rights for Dai Shimaron's throne. But if that was really true, where was this Richard person from?

"A new King of Dai Shimaron and an invitation from a suspicious country...," Gwendal massaged his temples, feeling his stress was added again. He could imagine his life would soon end from being too distressed.

"That's right! What's the invitation about?" Yuuri got back to his sense, suddenly delighted to hear about a possible adventure.

"A match making party, Your Majesty," Günter responded.

"Match making?!" Yuuri shrieked in sync with Wolfram, exchanging stares as they both realized it.

"Vescavia is a strange country. Since my era, I mean, The Great Sage's era, they always hold a match making party between men and women, although this is the first time they invite us. They don't support the same gender relationships by the way," Murata fixed his glasses, then pointing his index finger up in the air to add the impression of his explication. His eyes didn't miss the changing look of Yuuri's face, as the Maou furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"A strange country? They seem normal to me. Straight relationships just like on earth."

"What happens if their people love with the same gender?" Wolfram cut in.

"They cannot get married. They shall go out from the country and become another country's residents."

Yuuri nodded to Murata's statement. It was just like on earth, some of same gender couples would go to other countries to get married. Well, they weren't forbidden to enter their original country again though. But at least, this Vescavia country wasn't that rude, they let their people to get married in other countries after all.

"Then, shall we go to that party?" Yuuri grinned, feeling his blood boiling to explore the new area. Moreover, this was the first _normal_ area in this world for Yuuri.

"I'm thinking to send you all to observe this country. If it succeeds, they may want to become our ally," Gwendal straightened his back, now leaning to his chair.

"So we're going to attend the match making party!?" Yuuri yelled, his teenager hormone took over. He would see girls, that meant he would be normal again! But then his excitement gradually disappeared as he glanced towards the blond. Would Wolfram get angry?

"Nice idea, Brother," the pretty-faced demon simply said, making Yuuri's shoulders slump from disappointment.

_So Wolfram __really isn't jealous anymore…_, he sighed.

"But we won't go as ourselves," Murata smirked, "You all should disguise yourselves."

"…What? Oh, you mean my hair and eyes? But isn't that invitation is for me, the Demon King?" Yuuri questioned, quickly recovered from his frustration after hearing Murata's words.

"It's not. It's for our representatives. They asked us to send our representatives to attend the party, for making a good relationship between us," Murata ran his fingers through his hair, still smirking.

"Offering a friendship after this long time being isolated from the outside is suspicious. That's why I want you all to disguise so that they wouldn't know that the Maou himself who comes to the party," Gwendal ordered, although deep within his mind, he was afraid if Vescavia could read the Maou's action. Yuuri had been known to love exploring the human countries, and there was a big possibility that Vescavia had predicted it.

"Who's coming with me? And what about the disguise?" Yuuri gulped as he started to sense a bad feeling. He would come to see girls, and yet he had to disguise. Somewhat he felt uneasy about the disguise thing.

"You, Wolfram, and His Eminence have to disguise as women. As for Conrart, he would accompany the three of you as an official guard from Shin Makoku," the oldest son of Celi sternly proclaimed.

"What!?" came Yuuri's and Wolfram's scream in sync again.

Disguising as women?! That meant... that meant... he would attend a match making party to flirt with another men!! Geez, why did he never succeed in gaining his normal life again?!

"That's not really a bad idea since you've done it several times," Murata made a face wickedly.

"Why women? Why not wearing wigs with other colours instead?" Wolfram stood up and slammed his fists to the table, clearly annoyed by the idea.

"Our faces had been recognized. Wearing colourful wigs and contact lenses wouldn't help much. We'll enter a suspicious country, so we need to be extra careful," Murata defended himself, raising both of his hands before his chest. Putting aside his super beauty, Murata knew that Wolfram could fry him in any seconds if he wanted to. The blond soon threw himself to the chair again, pouting but not saying anything more.

"Yes, but why only Conrad who doesn't have to disguise?" Yuuri countered, not satisfied at all with the decision. It was really unfair for him and Wolfram if it was only them who should act as women. Murata seemed happy to cross dress though, so Yuuri didn't count him.

"Are you sure you want to see me dressed up as a woman, Your Majesty?" Conrart bent over, smiling as his face was brought close to Yuuri's. The King blinked, and promptly shook his head as the image of the perfect gentleman in his head would be ruined if he saw Conrart walking with a frilly pink dress. Ah, where did he get the idea about the pink and frilly dress anyway?

"Better not…," the base ball boy whimpered, resulting the brunette soldier to chuckle.

"Well then, since Shibuya has agreed, everything's settled!" Murata flicked his fingers, before clapping his hands while Wolfram's almost inaudibly groan could be heard.

"We'll depart tomorrow morning then," Conrart informed with an over-used smile.

_Great..._

Yuuri shook his head, sighing deeply as he protested inwardly. His eyes then found Wolfram's figure sinking on the chair, as the King's lips briefly formed a pout.

_This is going to be hard._

_

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**(To be Continued)**

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**A/N:** The scene where Wolfram was forced by Gwendal, Conrart, and Murata to confront his feelings was contained with many flashbacks from the anime. Every flashbacks/memories of the characters are originally quoted from the anime without any changes, and I included them to fit Wolfram's situation better in this fanfic.

And yes, it was mentioned in both of novel and anime that Wolfram was never into men before he met Yuuri :3


	5. The Mysterious Castle In Vescavia

**Disclaimer: **I only own this plot

**Beta Reader: **Becca2793, my great beta who has spared her busy time for me =3

**Special Thanks to: **ThinE again for her help in this chapter =3

**Comment:**

If Shin Makoku uses Germany old names, then I would use English old names for Vescavia people lol. Oh, perhaps you'd notice that I changed their titles into English X3

**Dictionary:**

Shin Makoku: New Makoku

Shou Shimaron: Small Shimaron

Dai Shimaron: Big Shimaron

Maryoku: The Demon Tribe's magic, controlled by using Majutsu (the Demon's power).

Houryoku: The God Race/Shinzoku's magic (a race from a country named Seisakoku). Humans also can use houryoku by holding red stones (Houseki).

I use the Japanese way to call the countries because the anime's subtitles used them. Thus, I think you can feel more familiar with those Japanese names. And about the magic things, I use those names just simply to differentiate between the Demon's magic and the Human's magic. =3

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**LEARNING THE VERITY**

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**#5 Truth:**

**The Mysterious Castle In Vescavia**

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"Beautiful~!!"

A squeal from the sexy queen echoed throughout the ship, the one that the former Maou usually used for her Searching For Free Love Journey.

"Mother, I am not pleased to be called beautiful," the young demon with auburn, long waved hair, deep purple eyes, and a long-sleeved blue dress protested, annoyed.

"And I don't think that it was a compliment, ha-ha….," an awkward laugh slipped from the half-human King with straight long brown hair and honey-coloured eyes.

"But your emerald-coloured frilly dress looks beautiful, Your Majesty! Look at the hue in my Wolfie's real eyes' colour! So~ beautiful!!" the sexy queen cried in excitement, while locking the poor young demon into a motherly-too tight-hug.

"Mo-ther…"

"Well, well, everything looks good!" the bespectacled person, with bright blond hair – tied into two braids on the left and right – and blue eyes, grinned from ear to ear.

"Oh, Your Eminence too is beautiful! That yellow, short-sleeved dress looks good on you!"

"Thank you, Lady Celi!"

"And why do you look so happy, Murata….?" the King narrowed his eyes as he saw the Sage dancing around the ship in his long dress. "And what's with those braids… Are you trying to be a pure village girl…?"

Murata smirked, halting his dance right before Yuuri. "You're such an amateur, Shibuya. These glasses! These braids! And these fake busts! They are partners, the important parts of becoming a cute girl!"

"As expected, Your Eminence is so clever and cute~!" Celi ran towards the sage and buried him between her bosoms, squealing while giving the boy a tight hug. Said sage was only grinning, totally happy to taste the former Maou's embrace.

"And let go of my mother!" Wolfram shouted in irritation, separating them by force, as he knew that the perverted sage wouldn't let go of her mother if he didn't interfere.

"Ha-ha…," Yuuri faked a laugh, stealing a glance at his fiancé. Wolfram with that long wavy hair was really fascinating. He looked exactly like a beautiful lady, if only his muscled arms and those masculine legs weren't peeking from beneath the dress. And add his attitudes to the list, he was far from feminine.

"This is good because mother can lend us her ship to go to Vescavia," Conrart joined in from behind the King, smiling like usual. He wore his brown uniform, not the casual outfit he used when he usually went to human countries. He was in a mission to escort the _ladies_ to Vescavia after all.

"Because Fan Fan has some business in Calvacade!" Celi replied, clasping her hands besides her cheek, while her face became pink from thinking about meeting her lover. Fanbalen left Shin Makoku early in the morning after Wolfram's birthday party to run his business in other countries. And hearing that Yuri would go to Vescavia, Celi happily offered her ship because Calvacade and Vescavia were neighbours.

The young Demon King licked his itchy lips. He wasn't used to wearing lipstick, and he never thought that he would be forced to use it this often. Actually he thought that they would dress up as girls after they arrived at Vescavia, but Gwendal insisted that they should stay disguised even from Shin Makoku. The stern guy was afraid that there were spies from Vescavia who could see that the real match making participants were actually the King and the Sage themselves. And of course, Lady Celi and Anissina gladly help with all of the disguise needs, from dresses and evening gowns, to accessories and make up.

Sighing, Yuuri walked to the deck to enjoy the sea breeze. The weather was good; it aroused his young blood that despite the fact that he was wearing a dress, he was still having a journey to a whole new country. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent of the sea, then slumped his gaze to the blue water underneath.

He knew he had forced himself. His body temperature wasn't any better than yesterday. But he still hoped that at least it didn't go any higher, so that he could finish this journey first. After all, he really needed to go to somewhere, to occupy his mind with things he must think, rather than spending his day on the bed from sickness. Because…

It would make him think about Wolfram.

"I can't walk around with these, these… disgusting torturing tools!" the fire wielder's howl greeted Yuuri's ears, pulling him back from his brooding.

"Those are high heels, Lord von Bielefeld," Murata explained, fixing his flashing glasses' position. "I believe you've worn them before."

"Like I care about their name!" with that, the hot-blooded demon stomped inside the ship harshly to go to his compartment. His action was obviously inviting the others to laugh at him. Yuuri, who was staring at him silently, smiled before realizing something was wrong with Wolfram.

Something was different. Wrong. Weird. Yuuri now noticed about that already. But what was that 'something'?

His attitude was still bratty like usual, his face was still as cute as usu--

Ahem! Scratch that. The thing was not about his appearance, but about…. His seasickness!

Widening his eyes, Yuri gaped in realization. Wolfram always vomited every time he was on a ship, but this time, Yuuri didn't see him troubled with it at all. He looked fine, he even looked healthier than Yuuri with his fever that he currently had. What had happened to the blond actually? How could he have managed to cure his seasickness?

"Are you alright, Your Majesty?" Conrart inquired from right beside him suddenly, making Yuuri surprised that he didn't notice his godfather's presence before.

"Conrad, I'm fine, why?" Yuuri laughed sheepishly.

"Your face is red," the brunette retorted with concern, the smile not leaving his face.

"Ah…," Yuuri fidgeted. _Must be the fever…_

"I'm fine, really! Oh, rather than me, doesn't Wolfram look weird? He doesn't spit up!" the King briefly changed the topic, afraid that Conrart would find out about his sickness. The last thing he wanted now was to stay in bed all the time and think about his stubborn fiancé.

Upon hearing Yuuri's reply, Conrart's saintly smile changed into a hesitated smile. "Wolfram's alright. He just has something on his mind."

"…Really?"

The young Maou gazed at the deck's wooden tiled floor, ignoring how the wind played with his now long brown hair, and blew his frilly green dress until half of his legs could be seen. His eyes shook a bit as he decided to do something that he had been afraid of too much.

"I'm talking to Wolfram," he muttered before half-jogging to go inside the ship, searching for his fiancé in one of the compartments.

Conrart, being left behind, only followed his godson's movements with his eyes, swam into a deep thinking, before he felt a light tap on his arm.

"Are you worried about something, Conrart?"

"Mother," he shifted his gaze towards the blonde woman, then smiled in an assuring manner. "No, it's just…."

"About Your Majesty and Wolfram, isn't it?"

The brunette widened his eyes in surprise then softened his gaze again after realizing that his mother was an expert of romance. She wouldn't meet any difficulties noticing Yuuri and Wolfram's strange behaviour.

"It's hard to have a stubborn little brother and godson, Lord Weller," Murata chuckled from behind Lady Celi. His hands played with his braids, swinging them happily just because it was his first time having such long hair – which almost reached his waist.

"Hmmm…," Celi wrinkled her forehead, imitating Gwendal. "I'm curious to know what they're talking about."

"Mother!"

"Just a little eavesdropping will do! Come with me, Your Eminence?" she squealed, half jumping before winking to the perverted sage.

"My pleasure, Lady Celi~!" the sage grinned, and you could guess his expression now, it was the one he usually wore every time he met girls.

"No! Mother! Your Eminence!" Conrart stretched out his hand, trying to catch his mother. But unfortunately for him, said mother had bounced and grabbed the Sage's hand, pulling him to search for Yuuri and Wolfram's room. Thus, the brunette only sighed in depression, massaged his temples, and then decided to join the eavesdropping team.

* * *

Wolfram laid his back on one of the twin beds the compartment had. He placed his knuckles on his closed eyes, setting his breathing to calm his mind. His light blue high heels were scattered on the floor, and his dress was wrinkled from his messy way of lying on the bed. The sun peeked from the small window besides his bed, and he could see how high and blue the sky was when he opened his eyes.

This was the second time he didn't suffer seasickness. The first one was when he was worried for Yuuri and searched for him together with Gisela and Darcascos. At that time, his mind was fully invaded by Yuuri's well being, afraid that the King would face something terrible without any of his bodyguards besides him. And now, his mind was occupied by his own confusion about his feelings.

He hadn't had the guts to face Yuuri since his birthday night. He knew he must apologize properly. He trashed Yuuri's kindness – his pure will to make Wolfram happy. If Yuuri wasn't such a wimpy King, Wolfram would have been beheaded from his impoliteness towards the King.

The noble demon sat up, running his fingers through his new auburn hair, his eyes lingering throughout the room. The ship was quite large, with two stories inside. The first level was where the compartments and the control room were located, while the second level – meaning it was in the lower part of the ship – was where the galley, engine room, and the sailors' cabins were located.

The room which Wolfram chose was the nearest to the stairs to go outside – to the deck. It had two beds, one wooden desk, and one chair, placed near the door. It had a simple wardrobe too, and a bathroom which had a shower in it. Of course, this simple small room wouldn't be good for Lady Cecilie, and Wolfram noticed that his mother's bedroom must be the one with the biggest door by the end of the hallway. Wolfram wouldn't have to peek inside to guess about how luxurious the chamber would be.

A sudden knock on the door startled him, and soon after a brown-haired lady peeked inside, smiling sheepishly.

"Yuuri."

"Hey," Yuuri replied, slowly making his way to the vacant bed, next to Wolfram's.

"Are you… alright?"

Wolfram stared at him, leaning his back to the bed header. "I am. Why?'

"Uhm, then it means that you're thinking about something, right?" the other boy answered with a question, rubbing his back of neck wimpily. He didn't have enough courage to stare back at his fiancé, so he pretended to find that the wooden floor was interesting to look at.

Wolfram observed the King's visible nervousness. Not long after, he realized that rather than the King, he was the one who was supposed to break their awkward relationships. He was the one who was at fault after all.

"Sorry about the cake…"

At that time, Yuuri's forced smile faded. His eyes which were locked to the floor were now shaking, as his heart opened the hole which he had tried so hard to close these past two days.

"It's alright," he finally mustered the ability to talk, although his voice sounded more like a pathetic whisper.

"Yuuri, it was my bad. I was too busy with my own problems and I pushed them onto you, something that I wasn't supposed to do," Wolfram continued on, as if he didn't hear the King's words.

All in all, it was true. He wasn't supposed to do that. He should have accepted the cake, not refusing it and disappointing Yuuri. He was just like a child who wanted everyone to know about his problems and nod their heads in understanding when he showed his enraged emotions. But he wasn't a child anymore. He was a shameless adult with child-like emotions.

"I deeply apologize for doing something as disgraceful as my demeanour yesterday towards my King. I am prepared to receive any kind of punishment from you."

"King?"

Yuuri snapped his eyes to Wolfram who gazed at him firmly. Of all the things he could have said, he didn't expect the bishounen to bring his position about now. Why should Wolfram think that way about his effort in making him happy? He didn't make that cake for gaining this kind of attention from the soldier; he was earnest, for crying out loud!

"Wolfram, you know that I wouldn't punish people just because they refused my handmade cake, would I?" he sharply stared at Wolfram's new purple orbs.

The fire demon noticed the King's trembling lips as he uttered those words. And yes, he knew that Yuuri wouldn't punish him. It was simply his gratitude of showing his deep guilt to the Maou, and his way of torturing himself. As each words slipped from his mouth were replaced by aches sliding inside his heart.

"Yes, I know. I'm sorry Yuuri."

Subsequently, Yuuri trailed his eyes to the floor again, whilst his fingers started playing with the brown locks that spill down passing his shoulders.

_Enough_, he muttered silently. Enough of this, he shouldn't let himself to be annoyed by these things any further.

But why did everything that Wolfram said and did to him have such an impact on him? Why was every single word from Wolfram capable in making his heart fly into excitement, and sometimes sink into grief?

_It felt like he was starting to fall for Wolfram… _

Biting his inner mouth, he shook his head, remembering what Gisela had said to him.

"_Your Majesty, what you feel towards having trouble breathing has something to do with your heart. It's a mental sickness. You should think more about what has made you suffer."_

Did it mean that his asthma was created because his heart was aching from knowing that Wolfram didn't love him? Did it mean that he was too stressed out about Wolfram, and for those reasons he had fallen into depression and caused him to suffer asthma? Did it mean that it actually wasn't asthma at all, but he was enduring a broken heart…?

…No.

No, it wasn't it. No.

…But it was indeed occur every time Wolfram hurt his heart.

"Hey, Wolfram, let's just forget about this, okay?" Yuuri promptly cocked his head up, facing his fiancé with an idiotic grin. "That night you said that you needed time, maybe to ease your mind. Sometimes I need time to calm myself too, and I also often release my anger on Shouri. So I completely understand, and besides, everyone deserves to be forgiven."

"…If you wish so," the demon then simply smiled after a long silence, knowing Yuuri's personality too well. "Next time I'll pay it by making a cake for you."

"Aah, no, you don't need to," Yuuri waved his hand in assuring. "But if you insist to pay it….," his voice hung in mid air.

"If I insist to pay it?" Wolfram echoed with one brow raised.

_Tell me what your real feelings about me are…_

"Yuuri?" the bishounen inquired again.

"Ah, ehm, let's play throw and catch! Yeah, that's it," the King abruptly spoke up, swallowing the real sentence he wanted to utter. No, he did not want to say it. No…

Wolfram stared blankly, but then shrugged as he understood that Yuuri was being a baseball fanatic again as usual. "Alright, wimp."

"Not a wimp."

But then, perhaps he_ was. _

"But Yuuri, allow me to ask you about one thing," Wolfram hesitantly started. His expression was somewhat torn between confusion and fright, but also, there was a glimpse of conviction that what he would do was the right thing to do. Meanwhile, the King only sat silently on the bed and shot a nod to gesture his 'go on' sign to his fiancé.

"Do you think we could get married someday?"

"Eh?" Yuri blinked as his heart felt like stopping.

"Wolfram... weren't... weren't you the one who declined Waltorana's suggestion about our marriage…"

"I declined to get marriage in the near future indeed. But I'm talking about our possibility. Is it possible for us to get married even if it's a hundred years more from now on?"

Upon hearing Wolfram's explanation, the King clutched his jade-coloured dress and shifted uncomfortably on the bed. He wasn't prepared to receive such an unexpected bullet from Wolfram. Not right now. Besides, that question was…

"Your Majesty! Wolfie! Did I hear about marriage?!" the compartment's door was slammed open out of the blue, revealing a figure of a sexy, blonde, former Maou, who ecstatically sprinted and pulled the two boys into a hug.

"Mother!"

"Lady Celi!"

Two desperate whines were produced by the two young boys. They gasped as their noses pressed tightly against her bosoms, making it hard for them to breathe. And what currently Yuuri did in this situation was… screaming secretly in panic.

_Her... her bosoms on my nose! Wol-Wolfram's cheek touching my cheek!_

"Let go of me, Mother!" Wolfram yelled, releasing himself from his mother and grabbing the King's arm to pull him off from Lady Celi's embrace. Said King only blinked his eyes repeatedly wearing a deep flushing face. Still, he couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

Which one actually had made him flushed? Lady Celi's bosoms which he had experienced many times already, or… Or Wolfram's smooth, silky, and unbelievably nice cheek?

At this thought, Yuuri's face grew redder as he felt smoke flying out from his ears.

_What am I thinking about!?_

He shut his eyes tightly and shook his head violently until he could feel it almost fall off from his neck. He should not think about that! He. Should. NOT! _Get a hold on yourself, Shibuya Yuuri!_

"Yuuri?" Wolfram carefully called, eyeing the young Maou's strange behaviour, with his hand still grabbing Yuuri's arm.

"Our Demon King is thinking about perverted things….," Murata suddenly popped out from behind Celi, smirking slyly with his naughty eyes. And beside him, Yuuri could see Conrart who coughed and cleared his throat, either because he was ashamed from being caught in doing the little eavesdropping mission, or because he felt uneasy about Murata's words.

"Yuuri! You're thinking of naughty things about my mother!?" Wolfram shrieked in disbelief, clenching his other hand tightly, while the one which on Yuuri's arm moved to grab the King's shoulder, bringing the wimp close to his face.

"No! Wolfram! I don't think about Lady Celi, really!" Yuuri waved his hands feverishly once he felt Wolfram's warm breath touched his skin. _It smells like cinnamon, no, no, his odour tastes like orange…_ _Argh!_ _Stop closing your gap with me!_

"You're not…?" Wolfram confirmed, still narrowing his eyes in attempt to threaten Yuuri.

"Oh, Wolfie, Your Majesty is thinking about you!" Celi squeaked, followed by Murata's wicked laugh that sounded really annoying in Yuuri's ears.

"About me?" Wolfram released his clutch from Yuuri, making the King almost trip down, but luckily still could manage his balance.

"No! What are you two talking about, Lady Celi, Murata! I don't think about anything, okay!?" the Maou shouted with his crimson face, covering his embarrassment with anger. He was clearly thinking about some… improper things. But it wasn't for public knowledge, was it?

"Okay, okay, relax, Shibuya. We only teased you," Murata formed a broad grin, then nudged Conrart's waist to give him a sign. "Right, Lord Weller?"

"Oh, yes, Your Majesty, we didn't mean anything to harm you," the half-human soldier smiled in a saintly manner.

"But you three eavesdropped us," Wolfram countered, glaring dangerously to the three uninvited guests as he tapped one of his feet in annoyance.

"That's right," Yuuri agreed, narrowing his eyes and crossed his arms over his fake breasts. And with that, the three only grinned and shrugged their shoulders before disappearing behind the door again. In short, they were escaping.

* * *

"What is this….?"

The maiden's voice trembled in her throat, as her eyes widened. The Oracle Room was as solemn as usual, with dimmed light being the only one that helped the oracle to see everything inside. But something was different in there. Something strange that could make Ulrike scream out in her terror.

It was the boxes… the boxes were shaking again, and this time harder.

The blond Original King showed up right behind her, sending his ocean-coloured orbs to scan the moving boxes. The black mist that slightly seen around them didn't escape from his eyes. And also… those stains, the marks that painted the boxes just like random snakes, were all glowing.

"Ulrike! Put a barrier all around the boxes!"

"Yes, Great One!" the long-haired priest obeyed and quickly kneeled down, clasping her hands before her chin to start her pray.

"This…," Shinou narrowed his eyes.

_This atmosphere feels really familiar…_

_

* * *

_

"And so… this is that normal human country…."

The young King mumbled wearily once they stepped on the harbour. Lady Cecilie had continued her sailing right to Calvacade, as the small party – three ladies and one bodyguard – used a small boat to get to the harbour. The journey itself took them four straight days to get to Vescavia from Shin Makoku.

It was just like all the other harbours Yuuri had seen before, with some big ships anchored all around it. The sailors, fishermen, and some merchants also could be seen in there, and right after they walked out from the harbour, they were greeted by a market.

They sold everything – from food, fruits, to accessories – along the streets, and women seemed eager to shop while the men carried some big sacks on their backs. Yuuri assumed that those sacks contained rice, or flour, or something like that. Well, it was exactly similar with Shin Makoku's market, but…

"It precisely looks normal, except for…," Wolfram voiced out, sending his eyes all over the place. "They all read thick books and wear thick glasses…"

Indeed, every man and woman that Yuuri could see were all carrying thick books in front of their faces, and the size of their glasses were abnormal, just like seeing grasshoppers walking around the streets. And Yuuri wondered, how could they move, shop, and carry those large sacks with their hands and eyes were focusing on their books? Yes, the sacks were tied on their backs and they wouldn't have to use their hands to carry them, but still, it was beyond weird.

"They love science, remember?" Murata grinned, pointing his index finger in mid air.

"It is interesting," Conrart added while they walked along the street. His arm nudged a woman with bright-red-coloured dress and thick glasses, resulting the brunette to say his apology to her.

Still travelling the place with his eyes, Yuuri now realized that nothing could be normal as long as he was still in this other world. With that thought, he sighed, scratching his head while dragging his feet to keep his walking pace. As the wind blew towards him, he hugged his own arms, trying to survive from the chill which was attacking him as his fever was increased.

He didn't take any medicine at all, not even the first day he got the cold, and it was already the fifth day. The sea breeze made his condition even worse, and he often went to bathroom to wet his handkerchief with cold water and place it on his forehead. It didn't help much, but at least he hoped it could make his temperature become steady. He even avoided any physical contacts with Conrart, Wolfram, Murata and Celi, so that they wouldn't know about his fever.

Yuuri glanced towards his fiancé, who was admiring the country's view with wide eyes. His relationship with Wolfram was now better as they often chatted together, although they still didn't sleep in the same compartment. Yuuri didn't offer his room, nor did he try to sleep in Wolfram's. But it was not a new thing if the demon would come and sleep in Yuuri's room as an uninvited guest. Still, Wolfram didn't come to his room at all in the last four days.

Truthfully, Yuuri thought that they had made up at the moment when Wolfram said his apology to him. He thought Wolfram only needed time to be alone for a while. But after all, for the bishounen, his words that night were still applicable even now.

"_Yuuri, I'm sorry. I'll sleep in my room from now on."_

The King swallowed. It should have made him happy, to get his own room without Wolfram's punches and kicks startled him from his slumber. But instead, it disturbed his heart and mind. Not because he felt that lonely without Wolfram, and also not because he missed his fiancé's presence besides him. No, those weren't the reasons. The real thing that had troubled him was, he couldn't comprehend what exactly had happened to Wolfram behind his sudden change.

Yuuri cognized every time he went to the deck to calm his mind, he would find the young demon spend his time alone, thinking about something whilst staring at the sea. As what Conrart told him, as long as Wolfram still didn't suffer his seasickness, then it meant his fiancé was still bothered about something. And 'that something' was probably related to Wolfram's refusal to sleep with him.

Yuuri groaned. Everything about Wolfram had made insecurity to grow within him. Although now he could sleep for awhile, he still would often find himself to be awake and think about Wolfram.

His reasons for having asthma, Wolfram's strange behaviours, Wolfram's feelings towards him, and Wolfram's still unanswered question about their possibility to get married. Those were always invading his brain every time he had time to be alone.

Every single time he closed his eyes, Wolfram's question would resound in his mind. Yuri really didn't know what to do nor what to say to Wolfram regarding the fire demon's question. He didn't understand about what he really felt towards his fiancé. Although he sensed recognition had begun to go through his thick skull, he still stubbornly drove it off, and even thinking that it might be better if things kept on going like this. And it was all because…

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Conrart cut off his reverie, enquiring in a low voice whilst his eyes were sparked with worries. No doubt, he was concerned seeing Yuuri hugging his arms.

"I- I'm fine, Conrad!" Yuuri briefly released his arms from his hands nervously, walking faster to cover up his condition. He swore he wouldn't want to be bedridden. Not now, please. Knowing that he should walk as faster as he could to avoid Conrart, Yuuri fastened his pace, making him bump onto someone and slide down the road.

"Yuuriya!"

"Lady Yuuriya!"

"Yuuriya!"

As expected, his three companions dashed towards him, shouting their worries with the new name for the King – a pathetic lame name to be exact. Yuuri groaned, feeling his body ached as his skin was overly sensitive from the fever. Falling to an uneven road was undoubtedly adding his hurt.

"I'm sorry!" a female's voice could be heard soon after, as a slender figure of a young, lavender-haired lady came into Yuuri's sight. Her skin was pale, with freckles on her cheeks and nose, making her look like she was wearing a slight blush. She wore glasses just like the other residents did, but Yuuri thought that it wasn't that thick. At least, it was almost the same size with the one that Murata used.

"Ah, I'm the one who should say sorry. Are you okay?" Yuuri quickly stood up, smiling while taking the book the girl dropped.

Accepting the book, the girl stood up and smiled, retorting quite confusedly. "You have a deep voice for a woman…"

"Eh?" Yuuri yelped, cursing inwardly that he forgot to change his voice. He coughed, panickly, bringing his hand into a fist before his mouth and trying to speak, hoarsely. "I'm having a cold," he reasoned, ignoring the daggering glare from his fiancé behind him.

Yes, yes, he knew that he was stupid for talking with a man voice, not like Murata who merrily changed his voice several pitch higher when he cried 'Yuuriya' before. But hey, Wolfram too had screamed 'Yuuriya' without changing his voice, didn't he? Besides, Yuuri didn't want to sound so… funny like Murata when he yelled earlier. It made his body hair stand.

"Oh, forgive me for being impolite," the girl expressed, then sweetly smiled again, "I hope you'll get well soon," she flicked her straight long hair, and put it behind her ear, exposing her ruby-coloured-stone earring. But she let her other ear to be covered by her hair.

"Thank you," Yuuri nodded, captivated by the redness the stone had. It was just as red as blood…

"Well then," the girl bowed slightly, then began to walk again, leaving the group behind. As she had disappeared from Yuuri's sight, the King then found an exact same earring with the one he saw on the girl's ear.

"Hey, isn't this that girl's?" Yuuri bent over and took the small earring from the ground. It was silver, round-shaped, with the red stone on its centre. Simple but mesmerizing enough to add to a girl's beauty.

"But she's already gone, Lady Yuuriya. Why don't you keep it, in case we would meet her again," Conrart suggested. He had known Yuuri's personality too well, so he wouldn't waste his time to forbid Yuuri in chasing the girl, but giving another plausible suggestion instead. "Besides you're in need to rest."

"Ah, maybe you're right," Yuuri nodded. He didn't want to admit it, but his body was already on its peak of fatigue. He even could feel a slight quiver began to attack him, thanks to the fever.

"Tomorrow is the party, so for now we just need to find an inn to rest," Murata expounded, with his hand playing again with the braids. "The sun will set soon, so we'd better hurry."

Nodding, all of the party members then quickly made their way towards the nearby inn. Conrart – being the only gentleman among the group – took care of their belongings and led the walk, while Wolfram, Yuuri and Murata followed him with their eyes busy observing the country's sight. It was singular and weird, yet it was also fun to see.

* * *

"What are they thinking about?!" Gwendal barked, standing out of the sudden with his hands on the desk, making the piles of papers to shake. Everything had been beyond his control, he really had lost his patience.

"It is too sudden. Franchia is the fifth country in these five days that want to call off their diplomatic relationship with us," Günter shook his head, closing his eyes in agitation as he remembered how the letters continued to come from various human countries to break off the diplomatic bond with Shin Makoku.

"Calling off diplomatic relationships isn't as easy as this! They should at least come and explain to us, not only sending these useless papers and hide like cowards!"

"Do you think I need to go to those countries to make further actions?" Günter sighed, looking at the wrinkled man behind the desk. Gwendal's stress had been amplified again, and the lilac-haired advisor began to feel sorry for him. If only he could help Gwendal a little, then he would, of course.

"Are you calling me, Your Excellency?" the office's door opened after a light knock sounded from behind it.

"Geigenhuber," Günter called when his eyes caught the gray-haired man with one eye's figure.

"I want you to go to Franchia. Conrart's underling has sent us his report about this country, but he still couldn't find any reasonable excuses about why King Antoine is breaking off our relationship. As one of the official nobles of Shin Makoku, you're capable of facing the royalty in Franchia," Gwendal commanded sternly, not wanting to waste any more time.

"Yes, Your Excellency Gwendal," Geigenhuber nodded.

"And Günter, I need you to help me in here. We don't have His Eminence the Sage now, so we need your brain," Gwendal added, glancing at the royal advisor.

"If it would help you, then I'd be glad to stay, Gwendal. But what about the other four countries?" Günter stepped nearer to the desk, titling his head to the side.

"Franchia is a country in which our Demon King went to and formed a good relationship by himself. King Antoine and Layla also befriended him. Perhaps we could get information from this country more than from any other country," Gwendal explained, grunting silently at the matter. It was confusing for him. At Wolfram's birthday party, Antoine and Layla still came and looked so friendly, and now they break the alliance? What had gotten inside their heads?

"Your Excellency, is it possible that Dai Shimaron is behind this?" Geigenhuber spoke up with his calm expression, but there was deep thought behind it.

"Possibly."

"We're still waiting for Josak's report from Dai Shimaron," Günter uttered, whilst his hands were busy arranging the letters from those human countries. "His Majesty will be quite disappointed when he hears about this."

"One more thing, Your Excellency," the one-eyed man voiced out again, this time with a concerned tone of voice.

"I heard from The Great One's temple's maidens that the boxes shook again."

Right after hearing the report, Gwendal's and Günter's eyes widened in a daze. Not long after, the grumpy guy moved his fingers to knit the air, feeling he was going to lose his sanity very soon. The conflicts were maddening, driving him crazy. They were too many for him to handle.

"What's actually going on in this world…?"

* * *

The castle was huge, and it was built European style, just like the castles Yuuri usually found in the fairytale books. It had towers, chimneys, and sky coloured rooftops, standing almighty on the top of a green hill. To get to the castle, they had to pass civilians' houses, markets, schools, and other public facilities below the hill. Once they arrived at the hill's feet, they were greeted by the guards and were allowed to pass through the stone gate.

There was a path – enough for six carriages to race on – behind the gate. And that path was leading them to another gate – this time a steel gate – right on the peak of the hill. Once they managed to get in, the view inside was scintillating under the moonlight, enough to make the young Demon King to open his mouth in awe.

There was a small stream, with clear water and fishes swimming in it, lying along the path. Flowers and greenery were planted and arranged beautifully, even there were some plants shaped like birds, dogs and cats. The biggest plant in there even shaped like a dragon, with its wings spread out graciously. Yuuri could only chuckle admiringly, thinking how the gardeners in this country were really creative. He should make Darcascos to shape some plants too in Shin Makoku. A bearbee shaped tree maybe.

Their carriage finally arrived in front of the castle's front door. There was a small pond in front of the door, which had a little dragon's head attached on the pond's side, with flowing water from its mouth. The front door itself was wide open, greeting every guest to come and enjoy themselves in the party.

Conrart opened the carriage's door and offered his hand to help Yuuri, Murata and Wolfram step down to the ground. Yuuri and Murata accepted his hand thankfully of course, but wolfram only jumped and stomped hard his feet, still not liking the idea of disguising as a woman.

"We are from Shin Makoku. I'm Lord Conrart Weller, and these beautiful ladies are Lady Yuuriya Shiburan, Lady Muririn Kenchan and Lady Wolfrin Bienize," Conrart, wearing his formal uniform, introduced himself while gesturing to the three ladies behind him. The escort made some checks on his list, and then bowed to let them in.

"What's with those names," Wolfram gritted his teeth, lifting his gown so that he could stomp his feet raspingly.

"Wolfram, stop acting that masculine."

Conrart faced the stubborn demon with a gentle smile, although deep inside he really wanted to laugh loudly seeing his pretty younger brother in a purple – with silver beads – gown. Wolfram's auburn hair was crowned by silver hair pines, with some diamonds – which Murata explained to be called as Monddia Stones in here – in flowers shapes. And don't forget the high heels, wolfram was forced to wear lavender-coloured high heels with silver ribbons tied his ankles.

"This is fun! I really can't have this kind of experience on Earth!"

Murata expressed with a grin, showing off his blonde braids which were now entwined by red shiny ribbons all along them. He was wrapped in a low neckline maroon-coloured gown, with pink fur on the waist line and on the skirt's edge. His high heels were the same colour as his ribbons; bright and shiny red.

"I really can't understand what's inside genius people's minds…"

Yuuri whimpered wearily, sweat dropping at Murata's term. He winced while glancing at his own gown, an orange ruffled dress, with long sleeves and small ribbons decorating the back side; from the neck line onto the waist line. His brown hair was tied into a pony tail, completed by a small white rose above his ear. And his high heels were white coloured, with a touch of orange stones on the toes part.

"Now, now, ladies, please watch your speaking from now on, agreed?" Conrart reprimanded, lowering his head to face the three young _fake _ladies. Said women only nodded their heads in agreement, as they knew that they shouldn't speak or people would know that they were guys.

They stepped inside the ballroom, and gasped all at once. The decoration was extravagant, with red-wine-coloured carpet on the floor, a giant crystal lamp – which actually filled with small candles – and flowers which were arranged neatly on every corners and tables. But actually the ones that made them surprised was the number of grasshopper... ehm, thick glasses people _still _with their infamous books on their hands.

"Look, that must be the King," Conrart pointed out with a slight move on his head, showing Yuuri the Vescavia's King's direction. "I have to greet him as an official representative of Shin Makoku."

Yuuri eyed at the light-gray-haired King, who was sitting on the throne, in the far wall from where Yuuri stood. His skin was the same colour as Murata, quite pale. He surprisingly didn't wear glasses at all, while his eyes were the colour of turquoise. His jaw line was firm, and his posture was not too thin and not too fat, average, with unknown height because he was sitting.

"Wolfram," Conrart bent over to whisper, whilst Yuuri was still busy observing the Vescavia's King. "Keep your eyes on Your Majesty."

Wolfram cocked his head up to his little big brother, bewildered. "I will, but why?"

"Just do it," the brunette replied boldly, then briefly walked to where the Vescavia's leader sat, leaving Wolfram to stand there, guessing about what Conrart thought about.

"May I have a dance with you?"

A man with thick glasses offered his hand to Wolfram, and made the fire wielder, Murata, and Yuuri jerk their faces towards the voice's origin. Immediately, the three of them grimaced, realizing that it was a match making party, and their appearances would stand out between the thick glasses women in the ballroom.

Wolfram shook his head quickly, trying to outcast the man without having to voice out his boy vocalization. But unfortunately for him, the man was persistent, still begging for his kindness, making wolfram to be irritated even more. In the mean time, Murata was dragged out of the sudden by a random man to the dance floor. Poor him for not having enough strength to struggle. And Yuuri, his dense brain started to think that he had to sneak out from this room so that he wouldn't have to be flirted with by men.

Without Wolfram and Murata's knowing, the young Demon King quickly walked out from the ballroom and attempted to find a rest room. But suddenly, his eyes' corner caught a figure of a familiar lavender-haired woman, with a red earring reflecting the light on her ear. Remembering the earring he had been keeping since yesterday, Yuuri promptly followed the girl, who was walking down the castle's hallway.

The girl's steps were oddly fast, and it resulted in disadvantage for Yuuri. He tried to run, but his feet weren't used to high-heels, making him almost stumble and trip every time he increased his speed. And finally, all because of those high-heels, Yuuri lost sight of the lady.

"Where is she…?" he mumbled to himself, glancing around the hallway.

_And where am I…? _

He gulped, noticing that he didn't know where he was. It was still a hallway, but this castle had too many hallways after all.

Examining his surrounding, Yuuri found that the place's floor was covered by red-wine-coloured carpet, just like the ballroom. And along the walls were paintings of the current King's ancestors. Yuuri knew it because there were names under the portraits, with 'King' and 'Queen' titles patched before the names.

_I really have to get back…_, he sighed in a tired manner, after viewing the paintings one by one.

Intertwining his fingers, he slowly stepped back to where he came from, essaying to find a way back. But as he met an intersection, he halted to consider which direction he should take. He didn't pay attention when he was chasing the girl before, that was why he had no idea where he came from.

A cold breeze touched his skin, probably slipping from the open windows. Shivering, he brushed his arms against his palms. Yuuri realized, his temperature was getting higher again. He felt weak. His whole body now trembled from the cold. He knew, he wouldn't be able to walk again with these jelly-like legs he had.

With the thought, he leaned his back to the nearest wall, sliding down to crouch and resting his rotating sight. But when the small of his back met the floor, a weird _'click'_ sound was heard. And without Yuuri's awareness, the wall behind him slid open out of the blue, making him fall on his back, swallowed into the darkness behind the wall…

* * *

"Yes, Your Majesty Gregorian Blackbourne, it's our pleasure to be invited in this party. We do hope that we could build a good relationship in the future."

"Raise your head, Lord Conrart Weller. I'm honoured to treat you, the former Maou's son and the beautiful ladies in this event. I have a great hope that we can become a part of your alliance, Lord Weller."

Conrart did as he was told to, straightening his back to face the King. The young King seemed to be not older than the brunette's appearance. He was probably still in his late teen ages or early twenties. His outfit reminded Conrart of the Great One's red cape, minus the fur. He wore a golden crown with a blue stone in the middle, and his attitude was quite perky. Beside the King, stood his advisor; a middle-aged man with white hair, thick glasses and a book in his hand.

Conrart smiled, then responded quite firmly. "We would love to discuss our possible relations in the near future, Your Majesty. For this moment, I will have to excuse myself to enjoy this party Your Majesty has held for us."

"Do enjoy this night, Lord Weller."

And so, Conrart smoothly bowed before walking back towards where he left Yuuri. He could quickly find Wolfram's outstanding beauty, still fighting inaudibly with a man. He also could see Murata, who was dancing with another man with a funny face – probably hiding his disgust. But Conrart couldn't find Yuuri anywhere.

"Lady Wolfrin! Where's Lady Yuuriya?!"

Wolfram snapped his face to his running older brother, his face paled as he noticed that Yuuri wasn't behind him anymore. "What?! Where's that wimp!?" he unconsciously exclaimed with his male voice, making his admirer to jolt in surprise and run away.

"Didn't I tell you to take care of her?" Conrart half-shouted, his eyes busy observing throughout the room, hoping to find his godson.

"I'm sorry, I...!" Wolfram bit his lip, quickly glancing around. He knew he was at fault _again_.

"Let's spread out... We must find him quickly, His Maje- Lady Yuuriya is sick!" Conrart desperately suggested, clenching his fists as the result of his worries.

"Sick?" Wolfram parroted in shock.

"She tries to hide it but she's indeed sick. She was sick even when she was still Shin Makoku."

Wolfram froze. He didn't notice that. He remembered when he was spending his time staring at the night waves, he often saw Yuuri wondering around the ship, holding a wet handkerchief in his hand. But he never thought the Yuuri was sick… No, he should have known! It was clearly seen that Yuuri's face was redder and he often hugged his arms to get rid the cold. Why didn't he realize it?!

"I'm going to search for him outside, maybe Yuuri--"

"May I have a dance with you, Miss?" another thick glasses man came and stretch out his hand to Wolfram, distracting the fire demon's thinking.

"I don't have time to play around with you!" the bishounen exclaimed, stomping his feet forward.

"Wow, you have such a sexy voice…," the man blinked his eyes twice, before quickly correcting his line. "I apologize, I accidentally heard your conversations. Perhaps you are looking for your beautiful companion?"

"You know her?" Wolfram enquired, a little hope was formed within his heart.

"Yes, but perhaps you could give me a kiss before I tell you, young lady?"

"What!?" the noble demon widened his eyes, feeling blood started to rush over his head. His hand searched for his sword's hilt, but failed. He didn't have it right now, since he was wearing a dress. He cursed that man for playing with his pride.

"Wolfram, let's just spread out," Conrart grabbed his brother's shoulder, clearly upset to hear the man's offer. It was common to ask for a kiss in a match-making party, but he would never allow anyone to touch his baby brother for certain.

The young demon bit his lower lip, battling hard to calm his enraged emotions. Moments later, he shoved Conrart's hand off, and replied.

"We certainly do not want to make the sick Yuuriya waiting for our help longer, do we? If this person wants my lips, then shall be it."

Widening his eyes, Conrart witnessed everything just like a slow motion. Wolfram stepped forward to that thick glasses man, grabbing his collar gratingly, then pressed his mouth against his own. It was supposedly fast, not longer than a second, but the brunette still felt that it was much longer…

"Now…," breaking the kiss, Wolfram moved his lips to the flabbergasted man's ear, hissing dangerously with a cold tone of voice.

"Speak the truth before I burn you to death."

* * *

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**(To Be Continued)**

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**A/N:** Well, end of chapter 5! Phew… It's quite hard to update in between my work and piano practice, but reading your reviews encouraged me a lot. Then, I'll be waiting for your reviews again~! They really help me to gain my passions back everytime I lose them X3

Thank you, I love you all~!

**PS:** If you have any suggestions of men & women's old/ancient English names please tell me~! I may need them for future chapters, thanks before~! XD


	6. The Secrets Behind The Wall

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Kyou Kara Maou and its canon characters.

**Beta Reader: **Becca2793, my great beta who always helps me X3

**Comment:**

Thank you for all of your reviews, they gave me the strength I needed when I almost stopped writing. My PC was attacked by 1276 viruses and died suddenly when I was typing, and the bad news was I hadn't saved my file, so my hard work was a total waste. I was pretty upset and I lost the will to continue it. But when my PC had been secured by the new anti virus, I read all of your reviews and decided to start typing again for you ^^

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

**'Refresh Your Memory Corner':**

This is where I write down the important OCs in this story, just to refresh your memory ^^

Richard Weller = The new King of Dai Shimaron

Gregorian Blackbourne = The King of Vescavia

**Dictionary:**

Shin Makoku: New Makoku

Shou Shimaron: Small Shimaron

Dai Shimaron: Big Shimaron

Maryoku: The Demon Tribe's magic, controlled by using Majutsu (the Demon's power).

Houryoku: The God Race/Shinzoku's magic (a race from a country named Seisakoku). Humans also can use houryoku by holding red stones (Houseki).

* * *

**LEARNING THE VERITY**

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**#6 Truth:**

**The Secrets Behind The Wall**

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Yuuri landed with a loud thud on the icy floor, his back and head smashed the floor harshly. Groaning in pain, he weakly rolled over, curling his body as a tear threatened to drop from his closed eyes. It hurt, terribly. He even shivered when his uncovered flesh met the cold tiles, adding the agony he already suffered from having a fever.

Slowly opening his eyes, Yuuri could only see one source of light, which only barely helped him to see. It was still pitch black all around him, since a tiny fire swung inside a small oil lamp was not enough to brighten the place fully.

The fuggy smell greeted his nose, just like he was in some kind of dusty warehouse. He sniffed, crinkling his nose as he tried to get rid the smell, but failed. The stink was too thick; he had to mask his nose with his palm to help him survive.

He sat up, leaning his weight to one of his hand, while blinking several times before finally his eyes adapted to the dark. It was a big and almost empty room, square-shaped with brick walls from what Yuuri could see. Getting up, he glanced around the place before pressing both palms against the nearby wall to push it.

He fell from there, the wall had slid open before. But why couldn't he move it now that he really had to get out from here? Yuuri began to panic as he warily groped along the wall, stretching his hands out left and right, sometimes crouching to check if he could push the bricks down there. But really, there was nothing he could move.

Sighing desperately, he wiped his cold sweat on his forehead. His legs were slightly trembling from the fever and the high-heels. Knowing that there was nothing more he could do, he turned around and narrowed his eyes, striving to get a clue of where he was.

Being very dark, Yuuri's sight could not seize clearly what on the far wall in front of him was, other than the oil lamp and the table beneath it. Thus, he decided to take a look, dragging his feet one by one until he reached the end of the room.

As he arrived at the table, he began to examine it carefully. The table was big enough, white-coloured and made with marble. It was placed against the wall with a short sword – which almost looked like a knife, a blue tablecloth, a lamp and a book on its surface.

"Huh? I thought it was an oil lamp?" Yuuri mumbled to himself confusedly. The lamp, was a round crystal ball, although the lower part was flat, so that it could stand on the table. Inside the lamp, there was a small stone, with unsymmetrical shape – just like houseki stones, which was burnt with fire. On the peak of the lamp, there was a small hole, letting out light smokes from it. The fire produced a dim light, and it was even quite softer than a candle light, something which made Yuuri quite bewildered.

Satisfied with the lamp, Yuuri widened his eyes in astonishment, admiring the enthralling short sword near the lamp. It was bright red – almost the same colour with the earring Yuuri currently saved in his bra; since the dress he was wearing had no pockets – and had weird carving on its sheathe. But for Yuuri, it was too pretty for a weapon. Too gorgeous for something that could make him shuddered like this.

After he stroked the red-blood weapon just to taste it under his skin, he then diverted his attention to the book besides it. A mysterious black-old book with its edges stained by yellowish marks.

He was actually scared enough by the tension which was surrounding the place, plus the sword and the look of this ancient book, but he wasn't Shibuya Yuuri if he lost his curiosity now. He squinted his eyes, trying to read what was engraved on the cover, but almost tripped as something fast ran across his feet.

"A mouse!!" he yelled in shock, clutching his dress. Thanks to that mouse, his heart had almost stopped beating.

After a few moments he took to gaining his composure again, he bent over to pick up the book he accidentally dropped earlier.

"Huh?"

Yuuri quirked his brows, crouching to get a clearer sight to under the table. He held out his hand, gathering the soft white materials scattered on the tiles, next to the book. It was fur, but Yuuri couldn't tell what fur was it. One thing he was sure of, this place must have been visited quite often, not an abandoned secret passage for war purpose or something like that. Well, having a lit crystal lamp inside was already proof that this place must have been visited _very_ often.

As his hand loosened the grip on the fur, causing it to gently flow and land soundlessly on the floor, Yuuri finally read what was on the cover of the book and gasped. It was hard to read because the book had stains on its cover; especially at the edges and the title part, so there was a possibility that he had misread it. But after he trailed the letters with his fingers to sense the carving, he was sure that he wasn't mistaken. _Resurrection_. That was the book's title.

A strange dark room behind the wall, a short crimson sword, and now a resurrection book. Now it was possible that the table wasn't a table after all. Perhaps it was an altar…

A shiver ran down his spine as his wild imaginations struggled to be free. Quickly, he shut his eyes tightly and shook his head, striving to jail the unwanted images within his head. Horror scenes from horror movies were the last things he needed right now.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Yuuri turned to his feet, grabbing the table's edge to help him stand. He put the book back, making sure that the position was the same from before; he really didn't want whoever this someone with the sickening intentions to notice that he had seen the book. He considered wiping the book's cover to erase his fingerprints, but then he sighed, realizing that this world didn't have Sherlock Holmes or Detective Conan to check on fingerprints. Not that Earth really had those fiction characters either, though.

With that thought, he moved to the other side of the wall, walking slowly while groping everything to find a way to escape from the room. As he almost reached the part where he fell from, he sensed something odd in his palm. It was a brick, which was slightly misplaced, made the wall become uneven. He pressed the brick, and at once the wall on his left suddenly slid open with a loud hiss, making him to cover his eyes as a sudden bright light washed over him.

After blinking his eyes again and again to get used to the light, Yuuri noted that the opened wall wasn't the same wall as before, as the place behind it now was like a bricks passageway, very narrow that could only fit one person. Along the passage, there were numbers of crystal lamps – just like the one on the table, or should Yuuri say on the altar – hung on both sides of the walls.

Yuuri clenched his fists, straightened his expression as he tried to drive out the dread that crept all over his body. This was creepy. Everything was creepy and he had gotten himself into a creepy situation. Very clever, Shibuya Yuuri...

Biting his lower lip nervously, Yuuri then forced his feet to move forward, down to the passage.

Under the honey-coloured wig, Yuuri could sense his actual hair had become damp and sticky, as beads of perspiration streamed down his now pale face. His legs were so heavy, it took quite a lot of will-power to move them. He felt so sick. But he had no choice. Nobody would want to faint in this kind of place and situation, and he wasn't an exception.

Tongues of fire danced, competing to lick the transparent rounded crystals enveloping each of their reddish rays. Having so many lit lamps on the walls signalled that this path must have been passed regularly, just like the previous room. And Yuuri really didn't want to leave any evidence that he had witnessed or touched anything in this place. He nibbled his lower lip, hoping to find the end of this path soon, but really, it felt like an endless tunnel for him.

After walking for what felt like forever, Yuuri's eyes widened in shock, then gradually softened for drowning in despair.

A dead end.

There was only another brick wall right at the end of the passage, and now Yuuri could feel that almost all of his energy had been drained.

He banged his head lightly agaisnt the wall, then crouched whilst trying to fill his lungs with fresh air. But only the fuggy smell and light smokes from the lamps greeted his nose. He sighed, whining Conrart and Wolfram's names for help lifelessly as fatigue overwhelmed him.

He only wanted to return the blood-coloured earring to the girl, but it led him to face this unfortunate situation. Wolfram would surely get mad at him for wondering around carelessly. And perhaps, he would bring up the topic of how to become a good King again.

Wincing at the thought, Yuuri shook his head slowly. Being trapped like now, he couldn't help to think about his relationship with Wolfram. He didn't understand what he actually felt to his fiancé, but…

_No…_, he sourly admitted.

It wasn't that 'he didn't understand' anymore, the fact was, he only 'pretended' to not understand his feelings all of this time… Pretending to be too oblivious for his own good, simply because it felt wrong. So wrong that he _must_ definitely stop it. Of course, he might be a really good actor, too good that even he didn't notice the fact that he was lying. But he had no choice, didn't he? If lying to himself could make everything better, he would surely do it without hesitations.

"I'm such a wimp...," he mumbled half-heartedly. Yes, he was a wimp. Wolfram was precisely so smart for knowing about his personality even from their first encounter. But, Wolfram wasn't the only one who could read him. Because Yuuri could read Wolfram as well.

Although he still couldn't comprehend what had happened behind his fiancé's sudden change, deep inside Yuuri had actually noticed everything. Possibly even from a long time ago, he had already realized it…

At first it brought him a relieving sensation, since it meant that he and Wolfram were not interested to each other. Conclusion, nobody would be hurt. But as time went by, along with his growing sentiments inside, he started to deny every little thing he acquired from Wolfram's attitudes. Everything that could make him wince, he covered by acting nonchalant and convincing himself that it was supposed to be like that.

All to make everything normal; a normal world and a normal life.

Well, everything was indeed normal and in line – at least for him – until Greta's revelation jolted him at once. Instantly, all things that had been buried in the bottom of his head and heart, began to knock his cognizance and ask for permission to break free. It finally began to resurface.

His conscience screamed to let himself being honest, hitting his skull repeatedly to pass through the façade he was wearing. To make him admit what he always repelled. To stop him from lying any further. To wake him from his temporary sleeping brain, that he had been always falling again and again for the blond without fail.

All in all, the answer of his problems in the past days, Wolfram's real feelings and his own feelings…, he must have known the answers from the very beginning. But it was undeniable to him, that putting aside he had known the answer, he still wished to hear from the blond that what he thought was wrong…

"Argh!" he banged his head again to the wall – now harder – to get rid his headache. But of course, the headache was doubled, or even tripled. No sane person would smash their heads against the wall to cure nausea.

Leaning his throbbing head against the wall, Yuuri then pushed all of his remaining power to it, making a futile attempt to ease his pain within his chest. And suddenly, the wall before him spun around, making him to land in a complete different room with a shout.

Lying on his stomach, Yuuri blinked twice, mouth gawked in surprise, finding himself in a huge prestigious chamber. He snapped his head to the wall behind him, witnessing how said wall was still slightly swinging, before it finally closed again.

Carefully, with an agape mouth, he stood up and touched the all-body-sized mirror hanging on the beige wall. Pushing it lightly, the wall didn't move at all. Then he put more power to it, and voila! It spun around again, showing the passage he took before. It looked like a secret passage from children stories.

"How cool…," he muttered in amazement, studying how the wall didn't look odd at all. Hanging the mirror on it was perfect, it could cover whatever sign the wall had for being able to spin around.

Contented of studying the wall, Yuuri turned his head to scan throughout the room. The chamber was really big, perhaps the same size of his own room in Blood Pledge Castle, or even bigger. There was a shelf full of books, facing to his direction, and besides the shelf, there was a desk with some papers and books on top of it.

Behind the shelf, a bigger space of the room was filled with a king-sized bed, pearl-coloured wardrobe, and off-white-coloured carpet wrapping all around the floor. A painting of the current King was found on one of the walls, near the huge door which Yuuri thought as his only hope to get out from there. The heavy navy blue curtains hung around the windows, letting the moon to freely shower its gentle light inside the chamber.

"I hope they don't place guards in front of the door…," Yuuri mumbled as he slowly made his way to the door, noticing that he should quickly find Conrart, Wolfram and Murata. They would be worried sick by now, and the young Maou could imagine the tantrums he would soon receive from them.

As his feet tried to do their duty as well as possible, his fever didn't help him. He lost his balance, tripping to his own feet, resulting in his shoulder to nudge the book shelf hard. In a panicking manner, Yuuri tried to catch the dropping books, but as expected, he failed miserably. He sighed to the growing tiredness within his body, then lazily bent over to take the books. Picking three books was not a big deal after all.

Correction.

It was a big deal because the opened pages of the three books showed him some pictures of ugly-looking corpses and the spells to resurrect them.

"Corp...ses…?!"

Shuddering, Yuuri quickly closed the books and pretended that he had seen nothing. Nothing about those rotting corpses, or some silly spells to bring them alive. Those were only the manifestation of a horror-story-maniac's crazy obsession. So that was really nothing. He closed his eyes, warily settling the books back on their places whilst chanting that everything would be alright inside his head.

After mustering his mind to calm down a little and setting his breathing, Yuuri sighed again and was about to continue his journey to the door, when out of the blue loud steps echoed from beyond the wall.

Frantically, Yuuri widened his eyes, mouth opening in shock, and eyes locked to the mirror against the wall – where he came from. He had to hide, he knew he had to, if he didn't want to be caught. But his body said otherwise as his entire flesh froze, then everything was too late when the wall spun around once more, revealing a figure behind it…

* * *

"I saw her near this intersection. I wanted to greet her since she is my type but when I arrived, she'd already vanished."

"Vanished?" Wolfram confirmed, his eyes narrowed in bewilderment. The man with thick glasses before him only nodded as he gestured to the hallway, where he last saw Yuuri.

"What do you mean by vanished?" Conrart knitted his brows together, gone was his usual calm expression, replaced by a hint of disgust when he stared at the man. This man had disgraced his Wolfram's lips, he really had a hard time to keep his conduct composed.

"Vanished is vanished. She just disappeared into thin air, I couldn't find her anywhere," the man explained, taking a step backward as he was aware to Conrart's grim demeanour.

"Don't joke with me! Are you sure you saw her?!" Wolfram gritted his teeth as lines of anger popped on his forehead. He had kissed him, he _had_. It should help him finding Yuuri faster, but that grasshopper man said that he was vanished into thin air?! What kind of prank was it?

"I really saw her!" the man brought his hands up in a defensive manner, "If I didn't, I wouldn't be so confident, asking for a kiss from you, Milady!"

"You! Don't you dare mess around with m—"

"Wait a minute Lady Wolfrin," Murata interrupted, grabbing Wolfram's shoulder to stop him from giving the man unnecessary punches. "I believe he didn't speak lies."

"And why so, Lady Muririn?" the enraged Mazoku shot Murata an exasperated glare, while the sage only smiled and pointed to Conrart who was now crouching near the wall.

"This is hers," Conrart shortly announced, holding the white rose he found on the floor. Rapidly, Wolfram approached his little big brother, grasping the flower while opening his mouth in streak.

"She slipped this flower above his ear!"

"Positively she was here just like he told us," Murata smiled with a shrug, collecting a thankful look from the man.

"But to disappear just like that is impossible! Perhaps she was kidnapped or even went outside?!" Wolfram blasted, voicing his random guesses to the other group members. He really had lost his temper. Had he known that Yuuri would be missing with such a ridiculous reason, he wouldn't take his eyes on him; hence he wouldn't need to taste the lips of another man.

"No, she's here," Conrart examined the wall and the carpeted-floor, his eyes narrowed under his tweaked brown brows.

"Why are you so sure?" his baby brother raised one of his brows, now taking a place besides the brunette, crouching.

"Just… a feeling."

"A feeling?!" Wolfram half-shouted, vexation clearly drawn on his face. He certainly never thought that his almost perfect little big brother would rely his investigation into merely a feeling. It was so illogical. Implausible. And Wolfram visibly disliked it.

"I'll search for him outside, Conrart," he continued to show his disagreement, before glaring at the oblivious man who had been dragged into 'Shin Makoku's Missing King Affair'. "You're not needed anymore, take your leave now."

"Well, it is an honour to help you, Milady," the man bowed, bringing one of his hand to his chest while his other hand gracefully swung besides him. A typical greeting in noble society.

"As if you really helped us!" the fire demon grumbled, throwing his gaze to anywhere but the man.

Upon the demon's sarcastic response, the man only shrugged, then left with a content smile curved on his lips. At least, he got what he wanted; the beautiful lady's plump lips. More than a dozen of men in the ballroom would have queued in line to brush their wet lips to the lady's, had they had the information about the missing girl. In fact, many would pretend to see the girl just to get the kiss. He was such a lucky man in this case. Not that he had lied, he really saw this Yuuriya lady, although he couldn't really be much help.

"So…?" Murata broke the ice, eyeing at the two siblings crouching on the floor after they were left alone in the hallway.

"Like I said, I'll go outside because we shall not believe in Conrart's certain feelings alone," Wolfram sprang to his feet with a '_humph__'_, started to head to somewhere he thought would lead him outside.

"Wolfram, come back here."

The emotional demon turned his head, stopping his steps as he reluctantly gazed at Conrart's stern look.

"What?"

"Look, I know it is unreasonable, but this is not the first time I have this kind of feeling…," Conrart began uncertainly with his eyes shook in hesitation, but still carried on nonetheless.

"When I was with His Eminence and Josak in Dai Shimaron, I had the same feeling, and truth be told, His Majesty was also in the same castle with you," he paused when Wolfram's eye brows slowly connected to each other, expression underlying with suspicion, whilst Murata only listened to him silently. Not having another reaction, the brunette decided to continue his speech.

"…Remember the ball when His Majesty got arrested by Dai Shimaron? I didn't even know that the two of you sneaked in with women clothes at that time. But I got the feeling."

"Well, I remember that time," Murata expressed with approval, referring to the event, and not to Conrart's revelation about his ability to sense Yuuri. "That was when the White Crow menace begun."

Unlike Murata, Wolfram was utterly speechless, his mind ignored the sage's statement and fell into trance.

What did Conrart mean?

Was he implying that he and Yuuri had a deep string to each other, just like soul mates or such, so that he could sense Yuuri's presence wherever the Maou was?

Did it mean that Conrart's love to Yuuri was bigger than _his_ love to the King?

Was that the reason why Conrart knew about Yuuri's sickness while he didn't, and Conrart could get this 'feeling' he talked about while he – the official fiancé of the King – couldn't?

No.

It wasn't that Conrart's love was more vast than his.

It should be, Conrart loved the King while he _didn't_. Just like Gwendal told him.

"Wolfram, you didn't listen to me before and _kissed_ that man," Conrart spoke up again with a tone of resentment in his voice, losing all of the uncertainty he had earlier. "Now you need to listen to me."

"The kiss means nothing!" the pretty boy answered a little bit too fast as soon as he regained his composure back, albeit his face lost some colours and his eyes filled with sorrow. "If it means that I could save Yuuri…"

"That doesn't change the fact that it was reckless," Conrart countered, standing up to stare at the young demon's eyes from above, giving the feelings about who was the superior here. "Not what a soldier supposed to do."

"Then what a soldier supposed to do in this situation?!" Wolfram inquired gratingly, realizing his blood started to boil. "Taking every possible way to save his King is what a soldier must do!"

"Taking every possible way is acceptable if it is done with tact and speculation!"

"Our King is sick and I did not do it without thinking! It was my fault and doing a little sacrifice is considered as coherent!"

"Your own fault..?"

Wolfram bit his inner mouth at Conrart's last question. The King's godfather's voice had fallen into an unsure one, surely wasn't expecting to hear the words. Tossing his gaze at the carpeted-floor underneath his heels, Wolfram retorted with less emotion.

"I was the one who was given the responsibility to watch over him. Besides, it really doesn't matter. It wasn't a kiss. Something like that, really wasn't a kiss."

Conrart shot a stare at the blond for quite a moment, seemed dissatisfied with the answer. Everything that came out from Wolfram's mouth was absurd to him. However, it was true that his brother's excuse was logical. At least for the fire wielder's pride and dignity. The youthful demon was, as far as Conrart knew for eighty-three years, too harsh to his own self and hard to forgive himself. The word sacrifice perhaps had been engraved too deep in his brain, especially since he devoted his life to Yuuri.

"Now, now, Lord Weller, what Lord von Bielefeld did is, in fact, really helpful in finding where Shibuya was before he's been missing," Murata stepped into the siblings' quarrel, gesturing to the white rose Wolfram held. "And Lord von Bielefeld, I believe next time we could discuss our moves first before jumping into action, yes?"

The two brothers gazed at the smiling sage, contemplating whether they should still go on with their debate, or draw back the encounter words which had been formed within their heads.

"My apologies, Your Eminence. You are right. Moreover, we should not waste any more time. Now let's find His Majesty, Wolfram. I'm sure he's still around here," Conrart smiled apologetically, nodded towards Murata then glanced to his stubborn little brother.

"Why don't you tell me what did your _feelings_ tell you about Yuuri's whereabouts then?!" the young demon snapped, still couldn't swallow his raging emotions. He threw his back to the wall soon after, silently regretting his saying as the disappointed look from Conrart came across his sight. Muttering a _'humph'_ to mask the guilt, he stomped his feet uncomfortably, causing a sudden _'click'_ to resound throughout the hallway. And in a second, his body was engulfed to the other side of the wall...

"Wolfram!" widening his eyes in surprise, Conrart pulled out his hand, attempting to catch his shocked brother's grasping hands in the air. But unfortunately, the wall had been closed once again, failing his effort.

Still not being able to recover completely, Conrart immediately sent his hands to touch the wall randomly, hoping to find any switch. But realizing that it was hopeless since no weird part was found on the wall, he crouched and lifted a part of the carpet – where Wolfram stood up before. And there, he found what he was looking for.

A small gray switch was attached to the floor, right near the wall. This must be what had made both Yuuri and Wolfram to be fallen to behind the wall.

"Your Eminence, please go back to the ballroom and dance with anybody to prevent any possible threats from happening! I'll go to seek for His Majesty and Wolfram!"

Without waiting for an answer from the youth, Conrart hurriedly hit the switch with his fist to open the wall again. But as he waited expectantly with wide eyes, nothing was happened afterwards.

"Why…?"

"Lord Weller, it seems like the switch is designed to work only once in a while. Perhaps for some security reason…"

"But Your Eminence!? So we have to wait?!" Conrart jerked his face to the sage, seeking for guidance as he sprayed the younger boy with questions. Beyond the wall was something he didn't know about, and what if… there was something dangerous inside? Should he have to wait longer, what would have happened to Yuuri and Wolfram by then?

The sage folded his arms before his fake bosoms, tilting his head to the side. He then voiced out while trying to arrange some thinking within his four-thousand-years-memories-filled brain.

"Every secret passage has exit."

"Pardon?" Conrart made a puzzled look, seemed like his brain was currently becoming numb from being too worried.

"I mean, Lord Weller, it would be better if we find the exit, rather than throwing ourselves into the very same unknown room behind the walls. Not to mention that we don't know how long we should wait until the switch could work again."

"But... Are you sure it's okay to just leave them like that, and are you sure about the exit?" the brunette swallowed uncomfortably, locking his worried orbs to the bespectacled boy.

"Only prisons which resolutely have no other exits. Judging from the style, it would be a secret passage, or perhaps a hidden chamber which could be accessed by certain people. I'm not a hundred percent sure that a secret room has another exit, but it is worth to try," Murata smiled sourly, aware that he wasn't really helping with his idea. He didn't really know about this country and palace after all.

"To think about it again, it's most likely the second one. Vescavia almost never involved to any war, so… a secret chamber would be more natural," he continued expounding the hypothesis.

"If it is so then the possibilities of having another exit would be almost zero," Conrart covered his forehead with his palm, voicing his not-so-nice thought. He undoubtedly preferred it to be a secret passage for escaping in war, it certainly would have another exit rather than a secret chamber. Besides, never being involved in any war didn't mean that this castle had no hidden passage. It was necessary to save the important royal family if, in any case, a coup d'état happened.

"Exactly," Murata agreed, "But almost zero isn't zero, Lord Weller."

"And if His Majesty really fell to behind the wall, he has Wolfram to protect him," Conrart finally shut his eyes, admitting something he should be proud about, but also worried him all the same.

The Lion of Rutenberg trusted his little brother's skills, and most of all, the young demon's too strong will to protect the King. Had anything bad happened inside the wall, Conrart was almost sure that the one would be badly injured was none other than his dear brother. Thus, he wasn't sure whether he should feel at ease or anxious at the thought.

"Let's hope the fact that Lord von Bielefeld could open the wall again, doesn't mean everything has been too late for Shibuya…," Murata stated matter of factly, almost in a whisper, inviting a silent stare from Conrart.

The switch could only work after some time. Meaning that Yuuri must have been fallen for a quite long time, since Wolfram could open the wall again. Therefore, both Murata and Conrart had to press their lips to prevent anymore bad possibilities to escape from their mouths.

"But your feelings told you that he's still in there, right? Then I guess I'm only thinking too much," Murata put on a grin, knowing that he had made the tension become deeper, to Conrart's dismay.

"We just need to find the exit and then try to go inside from there. But I believe Lord von Bielefeld would lead Shibuya outside by himself. If they don't and we fail to find the exit, we could come back here and try the switch again," the younger boy continued, pointing his index finger to the air, just like lecturing elementary kids with an over merrily expression. A fake one, of course.

Smiling at the sage's attempt to enlighten his trepidation, Conrart turned to his feet and breathed. "Yes, Your Eminence. Let us try to seek for some holes or drainage outside the palace. Secret passages almost always end to something like that."

Well, actually it was possible that the passage would be very long, perhaps, it led until the feet of the hill. But he really hoped it didn't.

"Agreed. Don't forget to check on any suspicious windows. Perhaps they have them if it is indeed a secret chamber," a reluctant smile crossed on the strategist's lips, as both of them spun on their feet and headed outside the palace soon afterwards.

* * *

'_Finally, I found you.'_

Wolfram snapped his eyes open, abruptly sat up to find himself facing a brick wall. He groaned, rubbing his sore back, and widened his eyes as he registered what had happened to him.

"The wall?! How?!" he jerked on his feet, staring questioningly to the wall. It had slid open and caused him to fall, but how on Shin Makoku did that happen?! Wait, wait, something similar had happened before, it was when… Yuuri got kidnapped by that long-haired-too-feminine King of Shou Shimaron! A secret passage just like that one!

"Yuuri! Yuuri answer me if you're here!!" he promptly shouted, tossing his gaze around the room impatiently. "Yuuri!!"

He waited for a moment, but his own echoing words were the only answer he got. Finally knowing that he was the only one there, he shot his eyes to the open wall besides him – where he saw small crystal lamps hung along the path. The end of the path was unseen, showing how long the passage was. He cognized, Yuuri perhaps had walked through it.

Before taking his steps to the passage, Wolfram glanced around the room again to get to know where he was, feeling that it was a necessary investigation and would be a nice information for Gwendal.

Trailing his eyes to the table on the far wall, his body haired stood as the atmosphere was becoming so heavy all of sudden, even the smell was thicker than the first time he opened his eyes in here. In the back of his mind, he recalled something that was missed by his system before. It was vague, and he wasn't really sure that it happened, in fact, he began to think that it was only his imagination. In this empty room, no one would be able to speak without having their figure to be seen by the demon's sharp eyes. But indeed, he felt he heard something earlier.

_Must be my imagination_, he mused. Although it was possible that the person hid somewhere – perhaps in that brick path, but it still didn't make sense all in all. Because the voice he heard was deep and shuddering his soul, just like the person talked right through his mind.

Repelling the thought and insisted that it was nothing, Wolfram moved forward, examining the table which was getting his attention.

"I see they have this stone here...," he muttered while seeing the crystal lamp. Although every single person born in this world must have known about the stone, but it was his first time seeing it so clearly with his own eyes. He bent over to observe it thoroughly, then nodded to his own thought. He must tell Gwendal about this.

Straightening his back again, he shifted his gaze to the beautiful sword. He took it from the table, and let out an inaudibly '_wow'_ from his mouth. The reflecting shine on the red weapon was indeed breath-taking, especially for a soldier like him. He tried to unsheathe the sword, but failed. Possibly the sword was too old that it had been glued to its sheathe hardly.

Keeping his eyes wide open, Wolfram then noticed that the sword's sheathe was plain, only having weird letters engraved on it. Perhaps they were ancient writing. Wolfram once heard that before the current writing was used, people had more difficult letters to write with. Nodding to his own guess, Wolfram put back the sword, now concentrating his curiosity on the book next to it.

"Resurrection," he read loudly.

Weird title. Who would have written such as… an ungraceful topic? Ah, ungraceful didn't suit it, but Wolfram couldn't find any word to describe it better.

_G. Dieterich, _he pronounced the author's name inwardly. From the name, this Dieterich person didn't seem to come from Vescavia, or at least so he guessed.

He flipped the pages open, and took note that the book was very old and handmade. The writing inside was beautiful, just like any old ancient hand writing he ever found in the library. He read some part of it, and cringed at how detailed this person described his experiments on resurrecting the dead. It was awfully sickening.

Finally thinking that he had collected enough information for Gwendal, Wolfram closed the book and left the table. He didn't want to read further, it was bad for his health and sanity.

Leaving the table, he then started to run to the entrance of the brick path, not slowing down his pace even when he was already inside. First of all, he must find Yuuri quickly, the sick King could collapse in any time. Second, the air around here was too much for his heart. It was maddening, making his standing body hair stayed like permanently in that form. Therefore, he must run and run, not taking a break even when his legs almost killed him from running too much. The distance was, surprisingly, farther than he thought.

When Wolfram's eyes finally spotted the end of the path, he narrowed his eyes irritatingly.

More walls? He was getting sick of these puzzles the castle's owner seemed to like. He bet he must seek for some hidden switches to move the wall, or simply broke it with his maryoku. But being in a human country, he knew that he wouldn't be able to cast his fire. Thence, he tried hard to be patient and observe the wall instead.

But again, when it comes to patience, Wolfram von Bielefeld was the worst potential person. It was proven from how the demon kicked the wall as soon as his leg could reach it. And the wall – to his surprise again – successfully spun around, giving him the chance to quickly slip into the other room before it closed again.

Once he arrived at the next chamber, Wolfram's eyes widened half in startle and half in excitation, seeing the person he most wanted to see now. The missing King, Shibuya Yuuri.

"Wolfram!" the Maou burst out, his face as pale as a ghost, horror clearly painted on his expression. As the colour on his face gradually returned, Yuuri ran without thinking, throwing his flesh to Wolfram. He locked the blond to a tight embrace, the results of his relieved feelings.

"I almost had a heart attack, Wolfram!"

The fiancé of the Maou stiffened instantly, mouth slightly opened. His excited eyes before now froze into a shock, whilst his hands rigidly hung on his sides.

"Err… Yuuri…"

The Maou buried his face deeper to Wolfram's crook of neck, smiling pleasantly while inhaling the sweet orange scent he discovered when they were on the ship.

It was heaven. It was as calming as being in a mother's womb. He didn't remember his days in Shibuya Miko's womb, but people often said that anyway. The place where we could get the most peaceful time was in our mother's wombs. And for Yuuri, holding onto Wolfram was successfully changing his fear into serenity.

"…Yes, Wolfram?" he uttered breathlessly with muffled voice, since his lips were pressed against Wolfram's flesh.

The young demon fidgeted, hesitantly opened his mouth to answer the King.

"…I'm the one who's having a heart attack here…"

The Maou raised his head from Wolfram's neck tardily, his face still decorated with a drunk expression. Yes, he was drunk by Wolfram's odour.

"Why…?"

Moments of silence passed.

"...Huh?!"

When a sudden realization hit Yuuri's head, his orbs frantically pierced into Wolfram's avoiding gaze. He gaped, opening his mouth only to close it again like a fish. The pretty boy could even feel a raising heat produced by Yuuri's already burnt-from-fever-body. It was five times, no, it was ten times hotter than before, colouring the tanned cheeks Yuuri had, to be burning red.

"I'm sorry, Wolfram!" the King jumped backward, hiding his deep crimson cheek with his hands waved before his face.

What had he done?! What had he done!? It was... It was a different hug with what he gave Wolfram before! He... he… He sniffed Wolfram's scent like a pervert, for Shinou's sake!

In the mean time, whilst Yuuri was still busy scolding his own self, his fiancé was still rigid, blinking awkwardly with transparent pink almost visible on his fair skin.

"Ugh… No problem, it's normal for a couple," the blonde stated uncertainly, scratching his cheek with an index finger shyly. "I mean, I shouldn't say that I was having a heart attack…"

Yuuri stopped his fighting inside, his wide eyes gradually softened with sadness as his fiancé's reply was registered to his mind. He calmed his panic down, then stared longingly at the astonishing person before him.

_Don't force yourself too much, Wolfram…_

"Yuuri?"

"Well, thank you for coming, Wolfram," the double black smiled sheepishly, masking his true emotions within him. Still, the curve on his lips then metamorphosed into a genuine smile, as knowing that Wolfram had come to rescue him was already more than enough for him.

Stunned, the ex-prince only nodded. Although a weird expression caused by the incident earlier was still formed on his face, in the end he could reply him with the same honest smile nevertheless. He was precisely, overflowed by the pureness Yuuri emitted.

"I'll fall along when you fall, remember?" the pretty boy softly uttered, titling his cute smiling face to the side. It was only a coincidence that he fell to behind the wall, but he was dead serious every time he said those words. No matter how many times, no matter what feelings had convinced him to take the actions, he still earnestly wanted to accompany the King to fall together.

"Now let's get out of here, it's dangerous to stay longer," he continued, offering his hand to Yuuri as he acknowledged that the baseball boy was sick. His neck felt like burning from Yuuri's touch and breath before.

However, the Maou – who was supposed to claim Wolfram's hand – was speechless in his own world, suck into the warmness his heart build, and ignored the smooth hand before him.

It was bad. Bad. Bad. Bad… Yuuri wanted to scream in joy helplessly that made him want to cry in grief concurrently. It was indeed… bad.

Bad that it _had _to be stopped.

"Yuuri?" Wolfram called with one brow raised, noting that his fiancé didn't take his hand. His call caused Yuuri to be pulled out of his musing and fidgeted. The Maou then blinked his strangely watery eyes, forming an idiotic fake grin as he retorted rather too late to the fire demon's previous 'I'll fall along when you fall' statement.

"It's nice to have a good friend like you, Wolfram."

Upon hearing Yuuri's saying, Wolfram merely stood there, still with his hand stretched out to the King. He found Yuuri's words weren't related to his suggestion of getting out of here quickly. Hence, what did exactly Yuuri want to say? He didn't get it at first, but as he remembered their conversation before, he finally absorbed what his fiancé referred to.

_A good friend_, Wolfram repeated.

Yes, that was an expected answer came from Yuuri, of course. Wolfram didn't have to feel surprised anymore. Well… Not that he felt it anyway… But at least it was good enough that Yuuri didn't consider him as only a subject.

Their eyes stuck to each other afterwards, one and another hid their real sentiments beyond the smiles. Seconds later, they finally decided to head to the door, not hand in hand since Yuuri assured Wolfram that he was strong enough to walk. And they were about to reach the door's knob, when suddenly Wolfram's eyes jolted wide open.

The full-blooded demon's body automatically positioned itself into an alert position, piercing his eyes to the door. Therefore, when the King only gazed at him in confusion – albeit his mind was still struggling with his own sorrow from earlier, Wolfram only hissed in a whisper.

"Someone is coming."

"What?!" came the Shin Makoku's ruler's panicked voice, immediately forgot about the romance problems he had.

"Come on, Yuuri!"

The bishounen grasped Yuuri's hand abruptly, then dashed to where the windows were located. The steps outside the door were now audible even for Yuuri's untrained ears. He shot his face to the door, then back to Wolfram – who was dragging him now half-way to the windows, then to the door again. Every steps were becoming louder and louder, telling him that whoever it was coming, must have been really near.

"It stuck!" Wolfram cursed under his breath, letting go of Yuuri's hand as he failed to open the window with one hand.

The last loudest step had been stopped. But now came an even scarier sound in Yuuri's ears. The sound of someone moving the door's knob...

"Wolfram!!" Yuuri's face turned as white as the carpet on the floor. They would be busted…

"It's open! Now, Yuuri!"

Wolfram pulled Yuuri's arm again, attempted to dash outside the chamber. But the sounds of the heavy door being cracked open had been echoed across the room, forcing Yuuri's eyes to almost leap out from their sockets.

Thus,... someone was ready to step in.

_Wolfram… It is too late, isn't it…?_

_

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**To be Continued**

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**A/N:** End of chapter 6! The scene where Conrart had certain feelings about Yuuri's presence is taken from the anime. And Yuuri also got the same feelings about Conrart at that time. I was quite intrigued when I watched it, but Conrart was only more sensitive than other people I guess. And what about Yuuri? Well, I don't know lol...

Reviews from both anonymous and registered readers are much awaited. Constructive criticisms would be very appreciated.

So if you read this story, please, spare your time to send one or two comments for me. It would give me the strength to update faster ^__^

Press the cutie green button below, okay? Tee-hee-hee... Thanks X3


	7. The Desires Within

**Disclaimer:** I only own this story

**Beta Reader:**

I have three awesome editors special for this chapter! Becca2793 who did the editing from the first until seventh chapter, ani_fukutaichou who gave me her awesome suggestions, and XEOHE -- the brand new beta reader who becomes my partner from now on! Big thanks to them x3

**Comment: **

I'm sorry for the delay, many things happened and I had to seek for a new beta reader, which is why I couldn't publish this chapter sooner. I'm really sorry… m( _ _ )m

But now that I have found a new beta reader (XEOHE), I hope I can update faster from now on :)

**'Refresh Your Memory Corner':**

Richard Weller = the new King of Dai Shimaron

Gregorian Blackbourne = the King of Vescavia

G. Dieterich = the author of the Resurrection Book.

**Dictionary for This Chapter:**

Houseki: The red stones used by humans to produce magic (houryoku)

**Important Information for This Chapter:**

_'Photographic memory/Eidetic memory'_

The ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme accuracy and in abundant volume. Often called as photographic memory because a person with such ability could memorize everything perfectly and vividly (just like seeing a photograph) within only thirty seconds, and would never be able to forget it. (Wikipedia)

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**LEARNING THE VERITY **

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**#7 Truth: The Desires Within **

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As the door gently closed, the sound produced was nearly inaudible. A man wrapped in a white outfit, made from the finest silk and golden threads, elegantly stepped into the centre of his bedroom. His red cape swung along with his steps, creating a rustle each time the material caressed the carpeted floor.

With a pair of turquoise orbs, he scanned his surroundings, noticing the chill wind that blew light gray strands from his forehead.

_Did I open my window? _

Half confused, he narrowed his eyes, purposefully making his way towards the direction from where it was that the wind blew. His pale skin glowed under the moonlight as he touched the cold, thin glass of the open window. Then suddenly, his face became alert.

From this touch alone, he fathomed that something was not right. Although he could find nothing outside, he was certain that he had not been the one who had opened the window, nor had it been the maids who regularly cleaned his chamber. Nothing like this had happened before, meaning it was likely that someone had intruded in his room.

He closed the window, locked it, and then walked towards the small table beside his bed. He reached for a crystal lamp and then lifted it before his chest; with moving lips he whispered something that only bats could possibly hear. Soon after, a spark of fire lit up within the round crystal, illuminating the entire room.

Glancing around, the King of Vescavia began examining his chamber's conditions. He pushed a few locks of his hair – which were only longer than Conrart's by two or three inches – behind his ear and his hand was still holding the crystal lamp. He had been born with astounding observation skills: photographic memory. Therefore, surely it would not be long before he was able to cognize any changes within these four walls.

A few books had been misplaced. Only three had been brought to his attention, but it was enough proof that someone had interfered with his bookshelf. There was dirt on the off-white carpet; just a slight amount, but there was a trail which led right underneath the largest mirror that was placed upon one of the walls. And lastly, there were fingerprints on the mirror itself, undoubtedly caused by someone touching or pushing the glass in a reckless manner.

_Someone came __in_ _from the window, to the path behind this mirror or…_ He pondered, rubbing his chin while thinking. Wrinkles started to appear on his forehead as his bangs obscured his line of vision.

_...Or someone came __in_ _from the path and escaped using my window. _

Was it possible that there was someone who knew about this secret chamber he had built when he was first crowned as King? But nine years had already passed since that time. And besides, no one except his sister should have known of its presence, because…

Shaking his head, a pearl of cold sweat rolled down his cheek and he covered the side of his face with his palm. He did not want to remember any of those childhood memories. But… as always, his disturbingly accurate ability to recall such details interfered each and every time he wished for nothing more than to forget.

Taking quite a long moment to calm his mind, he finally inhaled deeply. He was one hundred percent sure that there were no remaining eye witnesses to the secret chamber. Meaning that whoever had entered must have only accidentally opened the hidden door. If he was calm, he could acknowledge that there was nothing yet for him to fear. He could later decide what action to take, after he finished completing his investigation.

With that thought, he straightened his face, put the crystal lamp that he had held onto the desk near the bookshelf, and then pushed the mirror to proceed through the secret brick path.

If the intruder had indeed come from the window into the brick chamber, he or she must still be present. That was why, if he found no one inside the chamber, it meant that the intruder had accidentally fallen through the hallway's wall, and had then used the bedroom window to escape.

Briskly walking along the path, he considered the many possibilities that could occur, and also reminisced the events of the party that had been held on this night. The long path he had to pass was unexpectedly short for him, as his mind was preoccupied by his thoughts until he finally encountered the passage's entrance. And yes, as he expected, the entrance – which was supposed to be closed – was now open, signalling that someone had found the misplaced brick on the wall and opened the hidden corridor.

Stopping before his destination then, he took a readying breath. His palms felt damp with sweat, and he now regretted the fact that he had brought no one along with him. But upon a second thought, he could not allow anyone to know about this chamber. So once again, his decision to come alone was correct.

Slowly, he peeked into the room, roving his eyes nervously around the entire space. Once he had finally confirmed that he was the only living being inside, he released his breath, which he had unconsciously held due to the ever building tension.

"Then that person escaped using my window...," he mumbled to himself in relief. But his relaxed state only lasted a short while, as he put on a serious face once more. Now, he had to discover who this person was that had come in and witnessed all of his secrets here.

He stepped into the chamber, and began to explore around with his eyes. With the aid of his eidetic memory, he was able to identify the many things that were different since his last visit to this room. However, he still could not find any evidence that could help ascertain who the person had been. Had it been one of his subjects? Or one of the guests that had attended tonight's party? He continued to guess the origin of his culprit, until his eyes spotted something near a part of the wall, which could slide away from the hallway.

Crouching down to take the thing, he smiled belatedly.

A flower.

Someone must have dropped it when they had fallen inside. How fortunate. For now, he could simply use his ability to identify to whom it had belonged. And yes, amongst all of the guests, there was only one girl who had slipped this white rose behind her ear. He had not spoken with her, nor even passed anywhere near her. But his skills were such, that he was able to recognize both what and how the guests had worn their accessories… including this mysterious person. A girl, he noted, a visitant from Shin Makoku.

_Now things become easy_…, he smirked.

Unaware to him, the air in the chamber had become thicker, and suddenly he could sense the presence of a person right behind him, sending a shiver down his spine. He gasped, snapping his head around to face whatever it was that now existed behind him, as he dragged himself away and glued his back against the safety of the wall. His frantic eyes gradually softened as he bore witness to the one who had caused him such a fright.

"You startled me," he sighed in relief, before forming a hesitant smile on his lips.

* * *

"Wolf… Wolfram…!"

Yuuri shouted breathlessly as his hand was pulled harshly. His breathing became shallow and his legs felt as though they had died from running too fast. But most of all, his heart felt as if it were trying to break the world's record for fastest beating.

"Keep running, Yuuri!"

Lines upon lines of trees passed their eyes as their legs galloped, offering no clue as to where they were. No single light existed but for that of the moon and the castle's garden through which they ran. Still, Wolfram knew that they had to run as fast as possible, away from the window that they had used to escape.

"Wolf… my legs… my......"

"YUURI!"

Due to their tightly held hands, Yuuri's collapse caused Wolfram to fall on his back along with the Maou's already slumped body on the grass. Together they groaned, but Wolfram decided that he did not have such time to mourn his aching spine. He briefly sat up to observe his fiancé's condition.

"Yuuri! Are you alright?"

The King only shook his head weakly. Half of his face was concealed by the green grass, whilst his breaths came in short bursts, as if he were suffering from an asthma attack. His face turned bright red, mouth slightly open from trying to inhale. Yet his hand still grabbed Wolfram's nevertheless.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram bit his lip; his eyes stared restlessly at Yuuri's figure which then shifted to the direction from whence they came, afraid that someone was giving chase.

"Sorry… Wolf… ram… Just a… minute…" Yuuri desperately strived to talk. But indeed, his feverish state did not allow him to produce even one proper sentence. His body felt like exploding, burning from the inside but also cold from the outside concurrently.

Wolfram munched on his lower lip uncomfortably, contemplating on what he should do, before suddenly springing to his feet and braking off his shoes' heels.

"This way I can run faster," he nodded to himself, while throwing the broken heels towards the deep forest-like garden, since the number of trees was too many for only a castle's garden.

"Wolf… ram..?"

"Yuuri, please bear with it just for now!" The blond then carefully crouched to take Yuuri's limp body into his arms, making the King's eyes widen slightly in surprise.

"Wolfra—"

"We don't have any more time, Yuuri. Please understand." Wolfram stood up, carrying Yuuri, and started to run again, this time faster.

Truthfully, his legs and even his limbs had been aching continuously, exhausted from the previous events he had gone through to find Yuuri. But his knight's instinct forbade him to give up. Not when he had finally found Yuuri. He must, no matter what, secure the King from any possible threats that could happen.

_Wolfram_…

Nestling his head deeper into Wolfram's neck, Yuuri's eyelids slid half shut. His vision started to blur; only the shades of dark green from the trees and the black of the night were visible.

He wanted so badly to be useful, not relying on Wolfram like this, especially now that he had just admitted his true feelings towards the blonde. He was the King… wasn't it the King who must protect his people? Wasn't it the King who must protect his beloved? But in reality, he could only give burdens to Wolfram. His current state was so pathetic that it made him want to vanish from the blond's sight. And it was all thanks to his stubbornness, concealing the truth of his illness all this time.

"Yuuri, I don't know where we are going, we are totally lost, but I think we are far enough from that place," Wolfram informed him, his breathing ragged from running, eyes beginning to seek for a safe place to hide.

Merely nodding, Yuuri brought his hand around Wolfram's neck. It was wet from perspiration, streaming down the ex-prince's fair skin endlessly. Yuuri then realized that his fiancé was just as tired as he. If only he had not made such a reckless decision, in wanting to return the earring all by himself, then Wolfram wouldn't have had to face these problems…

Suddenly, Wolfram halted, startling Yuuri and pulling the double black's mind back to reality. Glancing upwards, Yuuri noticed how Wolfram's eyes had widened, his expression becoming alert. It took no more than a second for the blonde to storm farther into the trees and hide behind the biggest one.

"Wolf—"

"Sssh!"

Wolfram quickly leaned back on the tree, and then settled Yuuri to stand on his own legs. One of his palms covered the King's mouth, while his other hand curled around Yuuri's middle, so that the double black's back was pressed against his chest, preventing him from falling over. After all, even though they were hidden behind the largest tree, they still sought to keep their bodies out of view.

At first Yuuri was surprised at the sudden taste of Wolfram's palm. Then he was even more surprised when he felt the blonde's hand hugging him from behind. Not only was his heart racing from the fever and their scare in the chamber, it was now racing even faster from happiness. However, it lasted for only a second, as a collection of voices interrupted his thoughts.

"I wonder if all of them have already formed couples inside…" A guard mused. He wore thick glasses, a red uniform, and carried a spear in his hand. "If only we weren't on duty tonight, we could have participated in that match-making party." He lazily scratched his head.

"Ha-ha, it's been a while since the last time I got a girl," the other guard responded playfully, swinging his spear left and right, just attempting to appear cool to no one but the trees around them, something Wolfram thought as stupid.

"At least you've done better than me. I've never even been on a date before," his friend sighed, admitting his own misfortune.

The two guards continued talking as they walked past the tree where Wolfram and Yuuri currently hid behind. While Wolfram seemed uncomfortable, impatiently waiting for the guards to go away, Yuuri only stayed silent, listening to what the guards were talking about. Despite his sickness, Yuuri could actually think of something that, for Wolfram, was unnecessary and weird.

"Wolfram, we should act."

Knitting his brows together, Wolfram got distracted from his present activity: observing the guards' movements with his trained eyes.

"What, Yuuri?" Wolfram answered with less care, a little bit annoyed by the fact that Yuuri didn't shut his mouth even with his palm attached to the Maou's lips.

"Those guys want women...." Yuuri answered, now struggling to be free from Wolfram's embrace, still with his back facing the other's chest. His energy was drained and he was burning hot, but being carried by Wolfram before was enough to make him able to stand on his own. Even though his legs were still trembling and his vision remained blurry still.

"And? So what?" Wolfram replied, now facing Yuuri, irritated.

"_We_ are women…" Yuuri stated somewhat ominously.

The creases in Wolfram's forehead deepened, as he was about to counter that they were both men… when finally, the realization struck him. Yes, they were disguised as women now.

"We can ask them to escort us to Conrad and Murata…"

Wolfram shook his head, pressing his back tighter against the tree as a bad feeling crawled within him. ".... Yuuri.... you are not telling me to seduce them, are you...?"

"Well… you disagree...? I could do that if you don't want to." Yuuri turned around, now face to face with his fiancé. "We are lost now though, aren't we?"

Biting his lip, Wolfram felt the colour drain from his face. How could he allow Yuuri to do such shameful things? He was the Maou for crying out loud! Now he was left with but one option; to accomplish the mission himself. Oh how he hated this day so much. He'd had to kiss a man, he'd had to run around everywhere, and now he had to seduce patrolling guards?!

"Listen, Yuuri," Wolfram carefully began, grabbing Yuuri's shoulders. "You are sick. You wouldn't be able to act. Let's just wait until they're gone and then I'll carry you again, alright?"

Contrary to his expectations, Yuuri stubbornly shook his head, causing Wolfram to open his mouth once more to berate the misbehaving king. But Yuuri's next move forced him to be silent.

"You are tired, Wolfram," Yuuri raised his hand gently, cupping Wolfram's sweaty cheek with one of his palms. "Don't push yourself too hard."

Wolfram blinked twice, freezing up. It was the first time Yuuri had ever treated him so tenderly like this. The way in which the Maou softly gazed into his eyes made him feel as though he were being showered with care, with concern, with… love?

Shaking his head, Wolfram rapidly drove away this thought. It was only his imagination, since Yuuri would never ever be attracted to men, including himself. He groaned inwardly, feeling as though he was starting to lose his sanity, all thanks to the pressure he had experienced over these past few days. He began to think about love at any given opportunity.

Taking a deep breath, Wolfram seized Yuuri's hand on his cheek and moved it away.

"Fine, Yuri. But we will only ask them for help normally. No seducing attempts are allowed, got it?"

Yuuri's face grew brighter as he smiled with gleaming eyes. And seeing the ridiculously happy expression of his fiancé, Wolfram was forced to groan under his breath. Now it had been proven: he was specifically weak to Yuuri's naivety. Therefore, he surrendered. But as he was about to step out to greet the guards, said men were suddenly knocked down and collapsed against the ground, all in a blink of an eye.

"What?!" Wolfram hissed, immediately taking on a defensive stance as he caught an outline of a huge man's body beside where the guards now lay. The man had his back to them and only a glimpse of gold could be seen faintly from his hair. Wolfram gritted his teeth. His panicked state steered him away from recognizing whose figure it was – even when the man turned his head towards him – until Yuuri's yell broke the silence.

"Adalbert!"

The man slowly smirked and then playfully shrugged as he made his way towards the shocked Yuuri and Wolfram.

"Well, well… What do we have here...?"

* * *

It was already very early in the morning and from between the curtains, the soft rays of daybreak sprayed inside the inn's room. Although it was bright, the city remained dull as majority of the residents chose not rise so soon. Only those few who needed to go to the market, or had work, could be seen outside.

Sighing, Wolfram put his knuckle to Yuuri's forehead and nodded when he felt the temperature had decreased. He fixed the blanket's position, so that it covered Yuuri up to his neck and then walked out of the room, after making sure that the King was sleeping soundly.

They had just returned from the party, and throughout the journey Yuuri had slept in the carriage. Conrart had later made him drink some medicine and the baseball boy fell into a deep slumber once more, only this time in the Inn's room. Thereafter, Wolfram only checked on him every once in a while, in turn with Conrart and sometimes Murata. As for themselves, sleep was something that they had to delay. Although their bodies yearned for rest, they had many things to talk about before Adalbert took his leave.

"How is he?" A question from a familiar gentle voice greeted the blonde's ears.

Walking past the door, Wolfram made his way to sit on one of the beds in Conrart's room, before responding to his brother's question properly.

"His fever is going down, but he still needs to rest a bit more."

"He surely has a way to make us worry, doesn't he?" Murata chuckled, whilst his hand wiped his glasses with a soft cloth. "Good thing that we met Lord von Grantz while searching for the secret passage's exit."

"That's right." Wolfram's ears perked up, immediately settling his eyes on the huge man standing by the room's window. "Why was he there?"

"Apparently he was hired to be the bodyguard of a noble," Conrart spoke up, putting his intertwined fingers in between his parted legs as he sat on the bed opposite from where Wolfram was perched. "We asked him to help search for the both of you."

"What, third son? Ungrateful for me being here?" Adalbert smiled slyly, leaning his back against the wall beside the window. "It was shocking, meeting all of you there, wearing that kind of… outfit," he continued to tease, obviously referring to the dresses that Wolfram, Murata and Yuuri wore even until now.

"Why else would we look like this, if it wasn't for that weird invitation? This strange country...." Wolfram tsk'd, and thanks to his fatigue, he was in no mood to respond to Adalbert's sarcasm. His well-shaped brows furrowed then, as his mind travelled to the things that he had witnessed in the secret chamber.

"There is much I need to report to brother."

"Do you mind telling us what you saw in there?" Murata took the initiative to start the meeting, setting his glasses in place and leaning back to the nearest bed board. His face was calm, although deep inside, he could already sense that there was something not quite right about the country of Vescavia.

Not that Murata possessed a sixth sense, or even had enough evidence to stamp this country as dangerous; but having Yuuri involved in such an incident within a castle upon their first visit was far from normal. Moreover, even the tiniest amount of information was necessary if they were to consider Vescavia's request to join the Shin Makoku alliance. They, specifically, must seek the true reason why Vescavia suddenly opened their self for a diplomatic relationship with another country.

Responding to Murata's question, Wolfram slid his gaze to Adalbert disapprovingly, showing his hesitation towards talking about such things with the huge man in the same room. However, Adalbert – who had only been staring at Wolfram in turn – now broke his serious expression into a confident smile, exclaiming something that he thought to be the key to defeating Wolfram's stubbornness.

"I have important information, if by any chance, you wish to exchange it with yours."

Quirking his brows upon Adalbert's offer, Wolfram then stared at Conrart and Murata, seeking for agreement; ascertaining if it was alright for him to accept. After all, although Lord von Grantz was already considered a friend by Yuuri and had helped them quite often in the past, he was still no longer a member of Shin Makoku's people. And that fact caused Wolfram to be unsure.

If Wolfram were to be frank, he had decided that no matter what would happen, he would always put his trust in Yuuri. Therefore, those who obtained Yuuri's trust would gain his trust as well. However, he still needed approval before he could let slip any information that could be considered confidential in front of a non-Shin Makoku resident. Especially information that could possibly complicate matters for their land in the future.

"Interesting offer, Lord von Grantz." Murata smiled, straightening his back, while Conrart nodded to Wolfram, signalling that they had agreed for him to speak up. "Actually, I am curious in regards to your presence in Vescavia, as well as the information you have mentioned."

"Wise words!" Adalbert answered simply, with a victorious smile. "Then shall we start from the third son?" he suggested, devolving his attention towards Wolfram and locking his eyes upon the pretty boy's intently. The youngest son of Cecilie huffed and put his chin on top of his intertwined fingers, his elbows resting on both of his thighs.

"In that chamber, I found things that are too implausible to understand," Wolfram begun, as the others turned their focus on him, and the tension within the room increased. "The interesting thing is that they actually have Feuer Stones in that room behind the wall, and also in the brick path leading to another room."

Widening their eyes, all other occupants in the room except for Wolfram were now in a daze. Hearing the name of that stone was not really surprising, since it was common knowledge. However, to be in possession of the actual stone was unexpected indeed. Neither Adalbert nor Conrart had ever seen the stone with their own eyes. In the meantime, Murata was forced to recall the stone's shape from the memories of a previous life, since the stone had now been claimed extinct.

"That's big news…" Conrart at last could manage to talk, squeezing his fingers. "If every country knows about this…"

"Then there would be a big impact on this world," Murata added, eyes narrowed as images of countries fighting over the rare stones flashed in his mind. "I know that Vescavia is a rich nation with many natural resources, but I could never have imagined them having the Feuer Stone here. It is a really valuable item, even more than Houseki."

"Having the stone would put Vescavia at an advantage, especially with their defence abilities and knowledge. But they hide the fact…" Adalbert stared at Murata, while the sage nodded in agreement.

"It is either they think that they are rich enough without publishing that they own the stone, or they only use it for their own country's benefit. It is a rare stone, so we can presume that they don't have enough stocks to sell it outside their country. Besides, they never formed any international relationships until just now. That may be the reason why they keep it as secrets and didn't show the stone in the party. "

Adalbert shrugged at Murata's saying, then moved his eyes towards Wolfram, hoping to hear more from the blond.

"Well, I saw so many numbers of Feuer Stone in the brick path, placed in round-shaped transparent glasses, just like crystal lamps," Wolfram continued on, and suddenly his body hair stood, remembering something really inhuman in there. "And not only that, I saw something that almost made me vomit."

"...And what was that, Wolfram?" Conrart carefully asked when he saw how Wolfram's face paled out of the blue. The remaining members of the meeting kept their concentrations fully on the pretty boy, before Wolfram finally spilled what was inside his head.

"…I saw a very old book on something like an altar.... It was handmade, containing writings on how to resurrect the dead…"

"The dead...?" Murata echoed hesitantly, to be replied with a nod by Wolfram.

"I read some of the first few pages and the author actually described everything in clear detail. I could even say that the book was based on the author's true experience since it was written more like a journal...."

"Hmn… So it is true that the King of Vescavia has a weird interest," Adalbert rubbed his chin, thinking. "I heard rumours that he loves to collect black magic books and anything related to resurrection."

"When I met Yuuri, he was already in the other room after passing the long brick passage. I don't know whose room it was, but judging from the painting inside, it was possibly the King's room. And there's a bookshelf in there," Wolfram carried on with his explanation, now glancing at Adalbert, Murata and Conrart in turn. "Perhaps Yuuri has seen his collection of books…"

"But the first book you talked about, you saw it in the room behind the wall, didn't you?" Conrart confirmed, and he received a nod from Wolfram. Conrart's gaze slumped downward, staring at his own feet in deep thought subsequently. "Perhaps that book is the best one for him since you found it on top of the altar…"

"Possibly," Wolfram agreed. "It also seemed like the oldest one. Judging from the appearance, it looked like the book had been stored for hundreds years or more. But I'm not sure if it could affect Shin Makoku in any way since it may only be a manifestation of the King's weird liking."

"I suppose so; but it's not bad to investigate further, concerning they have the extinct Feuer Stone there," Conrart sighed in confusion, while Adalbert groaned under his breath, thinking of something the others still didn't know of for now.

"If I could ask… Do you, by any chance, know the author of the old book's name, Lord von Bielefeld?" Murata voiced out finally after taking some moments just to listen to the others' talking.

"I certainly remember it was.... G. Dieterich, Your Eminence."

A deep silence engulfed the whole room afterwards. Conrart and Adalbert strived to recall if they have ever heard the author's name, while Wolfram's mind was still dominated by his own uncomfortable experience. Not long after, Conrart shifted his eyes towards Murata and quickly uttered his concern to the youth sitting beside him.

"Your Eminence, is everything alright?"

Distracted, Murata snapped his head towards the brunette, quite lost in his own thoughts. But he did not take a very long time to regain his composure, nevertheless.

"I'm fine, Lord Weller. Just… lack of sleep I assume." He smiled sheepishly.

"Then you should take a rest, Your Eminence," Conrart nodded knowingly, then stood up to prepare himself in escorting the sage to Yuuri's room.

"Not before I hear Lord von Grantz's valuable information, Lord Weller." Murata smiled, scratching his un-itchy head as Adalbert sent his eyes to the sage upon hearing his name.

"I can try to stay awake just a little bit longer," the sage continued.

"Well, well, that's true; I guess it's my turn." Adalbert clapped his hands and walked nearer to where Conrart stood. "Actually, regarding your saying that it has nothing to do with Shin Makoku, I hardly believe that."

"And why is that?" Conrart briefly represented Murata's and Wolfram's question, as his expression grew uneasy.

"I heard interesting rumours that Vescavia established a connection with Dai Shimaron."

"What!?" Wolfram sprang to his feet immediately, followed by Conrart's and Murata's shocked mimics. "But they asked us to form an alliance!" the blond added.

"I came here and became a noble's bodyguard to investigate about the truth. This country is mysterious enough so far, and the fact that it is making alliances with both Shin Makoku and Dai Shimaron makes it even more suspicious."

"Of course it does!" The proclamation of the blond soldier was approved by Conrart's and Murata's nods.

"And how about your investigation's result?" Murata cocked his head up, facing Adalbert with eyes searching for the truth, beyond his glasses. Said man only sighed, shaking his head a little as his expression showed disappointment.

"We still don't get much. Keenan's still following the King's advisor now."

"Keenan…" Wolfram muttered, acknowledging his ex-underling's ability. Although he was no longer his subordinate, Keenan was becoming more reliable since he worked under Adalbert's command. Admittedly, Wolfram knew that he could trust Keenan's works. "Then, for now, the rumour hasn't been proved as true?"

"Not yet, but when I accompanied the noble I worked for, I heard him talking about how Dai Shimaron moves with the King's advisor."

"Dai Shimaron...." Conrart talked to himself, causing the others to divert their eyes to the brunette.

No one could deny that amongst them, Conrart was the one who had the closest connection with Shin Makoku's arch enemy, Dai Shimaron. And for now, his mind was full with the new mysterious King of Dai Shimaron, Richard Weller.

What was more, he wondered whether this Richard Weller actually took Shin Makoku as his enemy just like his ancestors did, or not. Besides this, there was also the King's probable plan now that the rumour about Dai Shimaron's connection with Vescavia had occurred. Too many things had happened, which made the situations become too complicated for him to fathom.

"…Well, thank you for your cooperation, Lord von Grantz." Murata smiled politely, breaking the ice that overwhelmed the party members. He turned to his feet, then with an expression nobody could read, slowly made his way towards the door. Yet, he stopped before stepping out and turned to face the others, plastering a smile again.

"It's morning already, but you all still need to sleep."

"Oh, yes, Your Eminence. Then I will escort you to His majesty's roo—"

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Murata hurriedly cut Conrart's words and slapped his own forehead, leaving the brunette to open his mouth in question. Chuckling to Conrart's reaction, Murata then slid his gaze to Wolfram, saying something that made Wolfram's eyes widen instantly.

"Lord von Bielefeld, please accompany Shibuya."

"…What?" Wolfram unsurely voiced out. His heart skipped a beat as he hoped that he had misheard Murata's statement.

"You could sleep in Shibuya's room, could you not? Because I still have things I should talk about with Lord Weller. I will sleep in this room instead."

"Your Eminence?" Conrart inquired, confused, staring from the startled blond then to the smiling sage before him. "I don't mind, but…"

"Your Eminence, I have my own room! We rented three!" Wolfram uncomfortably shouted, still unable to say yes to Murata's order. Indeed, they rented three rooms since Wolfram still didn't want to sleep with Yuuri, and nor did he want to sleep with Conrart. Hence, both Conrart and Wolfram slept in separated rooms, while Yuuri and Murata shared a room.

"I know, but Shibuya is sick, right?" Murata chuckled, as if he could read Wolfram's mind. When the blond clammed up at Murata's words, the sage added with a meaningful tone.

"Please take care of him as his fiancé, Lord von Bielefeld."

Subsequently, Wolfram could only gaze at Murata with a wordless expression. He was after all, still unable to sort his feelings out and still had no guts to sleep with Yuuri after having disgraced their bond, and telling lies about his feelings all this time.

What was more, for the blond himself, he felt deeply unworthy to share a room with the King in his current condition. He needed time to think alone. That was why he made the decision not to sleep with Yuuri anymore. However, it was true that he was still Yuuri's fiancé, and as it was, his duty was to stay by the Maou's side.

"Well then, everyone, could you please excuse us? I'm already tired from wearing this dress." Receiving no answer from Wolfram, Murata opened the door and signalled for Adalbert and the pretty boy to exit the room. On the sidelines, Conrart merely observed Wolfram through his concerned eyes, pitying his brother for being forced to confront something he still wasn't prepared for.

"…I understand."

Uttering the short answer, Wolfram briskly walked out and left the remaining party members without a second glance. After hearing all of their conversation, Adalbert then sighed and turned towards both of Murata and Conrart, shaking his head when Wolfram was out of earshot.

"I have expected this to happen, but don't you think you're both too harsh to him?"

Taking a long moment to answer, Murata just smiled bitterly, while Conrart refused to say anything.

"Unfortunately, we have no other choice, Lord von Grantz."

The huge man remained staring at Murata, before he finally smirked. He stepped out of the room, his face showing something that could be read as mockery to the sage.

"All for the country that Shinou and you built, isn't it? Really… nothing has changed in Shin Makoku."

With that, he left Murata and Conrart, who only exchanged glances in utter silence.

* * *

Wolfram reluctantly walked inside Yuuri's room, sighing as he saw the King sleeping so soundly. He approached Yuuri's bed and sat on the edge, touching his fiancé's forehead. There wasn't much of a change in Yuuri's temperature; it was still warm, although not as hot as before. Seeing Yuuri like this, Wolfram's forehead creased eventually, his problems invading his brain once more.

His confusion. His feelings. He really had no idea of what he should do about their engagement now.

"Umn… Wolfram?"

Startled, Wolfram snapped his eyes widely with a jolt.

"Yuuri… Ah, sorry I woke you up!" he apologized, then quickly got up from Yuuri's bed, nervously trying to head towards his own – which was only separated from Yuuri's by a small wooden table near the headboard. But out of a sudden, his hand was grabbed, making him sit on the bed again and jerk his face at Yuuri in bewilderment.

"Yuuri? What are yo—"

"Have you slept, Wolfram?"

"Uh…" Wolfram blinked, tardily striving to release his wrist from Yuuri's grip. But the King was unexpectedly persistent, not letting him go, causing Wolfram to give up as he did not want to use too much power on this sick fiancé of his. "Actually I am going to sleep now."

"…You must be really tired, I'm so sorry." Yuuri weakly smiled, looking right through Wolfram's worried orbs. "Ah, you haven't even changed that dress."

"Well, neither have you, Yuuri." Wolfram's lips gradually curved into a smile, tickled by Yuuri's words. "How is it? Feeling a little better? Want me to help you change your clothes?"

"I feel much better." Yuuri released Wolfram's wrist, then slowly sat up before flipping down the thick blanket Wolfram had covered him with earlier. He pulled off his wig and messed his own wet-from-sweat-hair afterwards. "I can change my clothes by myself."

"I see…"

Yuuri made his way to his bag and rummaged through all of the clothes inside to get a pair of pyjamas, then slid out from the disturbing ruffled orange dress he was forced to wear. The fabric was damp from his perspiration, making him miss a hot bath just to refresh his body again. As he complained of how hard it was to take a bath in this old Inn just like in an RPG game, his attention drifted to Wolfram, who was fidgeting and not even taking his own dress off after tossing his wig to the floor.

"What's wrong, Wolfram?"

"What? Oh… nothing, Yuuri," Wolfram replied, caught off guard while contemplating something in his head. He tried to cover it from Yuuri's eyes. The King, however, stared at him sceptically, not really believing "nothing."

"Why don't you get prepared? You want to sleep, don't you? Where's your nightgown?"

"Well, I… am too tired to do anything else; I'll just sleep like this!" Wolfram got up, moved to sit on his bed and hurriedly slipped under the thick blanket, even though the long dress was too annoying for him to sleep in with. He used the blanket to cover his head, backing Yuuri.

"Wolfram, you lied."

Upon registering Yuuri's statement, Wolfram instantly revealed his face from under the blanket, surprised.

"Yuuri?"

"You hate wearing that dress so much and you care for hygiene the most. Now you tell me that you want to sleep in that sweat-soaked dress?" Yuuri crossed his arms over his chest, walking near to Wolfram's bed just wearing his pyjama bottoms. "You forgot to bring your nightgown, didn't you?"

Blinking twice, Wolfram's face became vacant, before his lips slowly formed a sheepish smile just to play along Yuuri's guess. "Ah, well yes, I did."

Smiling, Yuuri took a seat near Wolfram's feet, while said blond awkwardly sat up and leaned his back to the bed board. "Thought so… why don't you sleep without your clothes on?"

"Huh? But you didn't like it when I slept naked on your bed before, did you?"

Yuuri waved his hand nonchalantly, laughing casually when he recalled the first time Wolfram sneaked in his chambers and slept naked beside him. "You are not sleeping in the same bed as me now, so I don't mind."

"Really?" Wolfram warily confirmed, cutting the gap between them by bending over a little to see Yuuri's face clearer.

Smiling a while, Yuuri nodded to grant Wolfram permission to take his dress off. Said blond then nodded tardilly back, obeying his King, and got off the bed to start unbuttoning his clothes, still with hesitations. Behind his back, Yuuri's eyes softened as his gaze left Wolfram's figure and fell to the floor. Inwardly, he knew that Wolfram had lied to him.

Wolfram had never forgotten anything in every journey he had gone through with him before, not with his neat and well-organized way of life. Most of all, in his normal state, Wolfram would never admit that he made mistakes that easily. Yuuri was almost a hundred percent sure that his fiancé would exclaim his infamous 'humph!' at him and would then counter every single word he said. But now, the blonde received everything so easily, as if trying to mask something. And Yuuri was scared to know about it.

…Utterly scared that he chose to pretend he did not notice anything.

Elsewhere, Wolfram stole a glance at Yuuri anxiously. He did not know whether or not he should feel at ease, being able to escape Yuuri's suspicion. He had not planned to sleep in Yuuri's room, and so did not bring his nightgown.

In actuality, ever since he had realized that his attempt to gain Yuuri's attention was only based on his selfish reason, he had decided that he would never wear the nightgown any longer. It was after all, not fair to Yuuri, since his feelings were not real. He did not have any sincerity behind his actions.

"Wolfram, how did you know that I was in that room?" Yuuri enquired out of the blue just to divert his thinking to anything else.

Glancing at the Maou, Wolfram began to sit on his bed again as he had finished undressing, only wearing a pair of pants he had brought from Shin Makoku. He slipped inside the comforter, while Yuuri eyed him in curiosity, still sitting on his bed.

"There was a man who guided us to where you were last seen, and we found your flower in the hallway."

"A man? How could he guide you?" Yuuri tweaked his brows, shifting his position nearer to Wolfram.

"He… offered to guide me if I did something in return."

"Did what?"

Taking a short moment to swallow, Wolfram answered, eyes avoiding Yuuri's piercing gaze. "…A kiss."

"A… Kiss...?" Parroting Wolfram's words, Yuuri stared at the blonde, dumbfounded. An awkward silence prevailed upon them, as Yuuri slowly understanding the meaning of Wolfram's answer, causing a pang emerge so suddenly and stab his heart.

"A KISS!? Wolfram, how, how did you, how could you...!!!"

Surprised by Yuuri's sudden panicked blurt, Wolfram was taken aback, attaching his back to the bed board deeply. "I had no choice, Yuuri! And it was nothing big! It wasn't really a kiss!"

"_Wasn't really a kiss_?!" Yuuri pathetically whined as his mouth kept on opening and closing like a fish, obviously feeling anger building inside him. He knew he was a fool. He was the one who made Wolfram kiss another man. He was really, really a super idiot!

"Yes, you don't have to be that panicky just because I did something against your principle!" Wolfram sniped, half-annoyed.

"_What_ principle!?" Yuuri's voice broke several pitches higher, urging Wolfram to cover one of his ears.

"The things between two guys you always talk about! I know you hate something called a gay relationship in that world of yours, but I'm not—"

"That's not the problem, Wolfram! The problem is that you kissed _someone else_!"

Blinking, Wolfram's mouth hung open as he fell deeper into the puzzle Yuuri had given him. Since when did Yuuri care about him doing something with someone else? And what did he mean by that anyway?

"Look, I really don't understand what you are talking about. But the point is, that really wasn't a kiss. A kiss should be done between two persons who love each other, not something random like that," Wolfram sighed tiredly, giving up on trying to decipher Yuuri's strange behaviour.

Biting his lower lip, Yuuri stared at Wolfram disapprovingly. No, he still could not accept the fact that Wolfram's plump lips were claimed by another man's. But again, he was the cause; he had no right to behave like this. Still having difficulties towards his emotions, he clutched the comforter and took a deep breath to calm his raging sentiments.

"Yeah, and it wasn't your first kiss anyway, so it may be okay…" he murmured with a forced smile.

"Of course it wasn't. I've never even been kissed."

Hearing Wolfram's reply, Yuuri's eyes widened as he felt a second pain shoot right through his chest, penetrating his lungs and indeed, his heart as well.

"But, Wolfram… We _kissed_ before!!" he screamed desperately, again.

"What?" Wolfram quirked his brows, expression clearly confounded. But not long after, he finally remembered the event Yuuri talked about and spoke up matter-of-factly.

"If you meant that time… Yes, we kissed. But actually I didn't feel anything, because I was possessed by The Great One, Yuuri."

The revelation struck Yuuri's entire being as if he was shocked by some kind of electric jolt. This time the pain was harder, deeper, and it made his chest tighten when he tried to breathe.

_Ah... the asthma is coming again..._

"Yuuri…?

Utter silence embraced them.

"Yuuri, are you alright?" Getting no answer from the double black, Wolfram hurriedly grabbed the Maou's shoulder as he noticed the changing colours of Yuuri's face. "Are you feeling sick again?"

"...let's...."

"Huh?" The blond wrinkled his flawless forehead, not really hearing Yuuri's barely audible voice. "Did you say something, Yuuri?"

"Let's kiss now!" Yuuri briefly stood up, bending over; he grabbed the blond by his shoulders so that he could see Wolfram right in the eye. The shocked bishounen could only open his mouth, staring at Yuuri with such wide eyes that could even make his eyeballs slide off from their respective places.

"I will give you your first true kiss now!"

"Yuu… Ugh!" Wolfram winced at the sudden sharp pain on his shoulders, noticing Yuuri's nails now digging into his skin so tightly. The King's orbs locked right onto his own.

With his mouth still hanging open, Wolfram halted wordlessly. It was the first time he had ever seen Yuuri serious, so focused, and even his expression was so mature without him changing into his Maou mode. It rendered Wolfram speechless; he felt something blocking his throat, forbidding him to produce any sounds. His entire body froze, as inch by inch, Yuuri's face loomed in closer and closer. He could even feel Yuuri's warm breath tickling his nose, his lips, his cheek...

_'__A kiss should be done between two persons who love each other...'_

His own statement hit his conscience out of a sudden, jerking his eyes to open even more. His face started losing its colour as he unconsciously sunk to the bed board while cold sweat began forming on his forehead and palms. And now, Yuuri's lips were already too close for him to even realize.

_No__,_ _please, I..._

He shut his eyes tightly, pressing his own lips and kneading his fists until they became pale white.

_I..._

"I'm sorry…"

Still clenching his eyelids shut, Wolfram was aware that his lips were still free, as a few seconds had passed by since he heard something he could hardly understand. Sensing that the warm air which had surrounded his face before was now gone, Wolfram at last urged himself to open his eyes, only to catch Yuuri sitting quite far from him.

"I'm sorry I was so childish." Yuuri smiled dryly, now finding the floor the most interesting thing in the world. "You were right, I don't like gay relationships. I only wanted to punish you for… doing something recklessly."

Still having a hard time trying to recognize the situation, Wolfram remained silent. It took quite a few moments for him to muster his ability to talk again.

"…You mean… You just pretended to kiss me?" He inhaled, cognizing that he had held his breath all this time.

"Yeah, just joking around. Sorry, Wolfram," Yuuri grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. "Are you angry?"

Slowly shaking his head, Wolfram remained in his blank expression, yet feeling somewhat relieved after Yuuri's conduct. Normally, he should be angry, should be throwing tantrums at Yuuri for tricking him. But now, for the first time in his life he felt grateful that Yuuri hated gay relationships and only played around with him.

Thinking about it, Yuuri had just given him the answer to one of his confusions; about what he should do concerning their engagement…

"Wolfram?"

"Uh..." The blond was pulled back to reality, then quickly strived to make the situation more casual.

"Well… Yuuri, I can't be angry at you when you are sick, can I? But at any rate, I still don't approve your ungraceful behaviour. A King should never do that." He threw his nose up high in the air, acting almighty like he used to, although he was also just playing around this time.

"I said sorry, okay?" Yuuri laughed lightly, still rubbing the back of his neck in pure wimpy fashion. He stood up from Wolfram's bed afterwards, heading to his own.

"Stop sulking, Wolfram. We should sleep again now. You haven't been asleep at all."

"Yes, all thanks to you," Wolfram joked, still with his face in a pout; but then he felt a smile tugging the corners of his lips as his once tensed muscles gradually relaxed.

"Sleep tight, Yuuri," he murmured, this time in a gentle tone. He laid his head on the pillow, burying himself deeper into the blanket and smiling pleasantly.

"The same for you, Wolfram," Yuuri replied with a grin whilst climbing on his bed, after seeing Wolfram's face for a little while.

Right after, a peaceful silence fell upon them, as they both had settled in their beds, each sending their backs towards the other. However, when Wolfram had closed his eyes and tardily drifted to sleep, Yuuri started losing his composure. He covered his head completely inside the blanket, shutting his eyes, while his hands clutching the sheet tightly; as slowly but surely warm liquids began tracing along his cheeks.

_Stupid Shibuya Yuuri...,_ he cursed silently.

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**To be Continued**

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**A/N: **Finally! A little development on Yuuri's side! The mysteries are still so many to be revealed in the future chapters, hope you'll continue reading until the end ;D

And as always, I'll be eagerly waiting for reviews from both of registered and anonymous readers~!

Please click on the cutie green button below! Thankies~! X3


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